Should the UK spend more on defence?

With three major spending and strategy reviews on the horizon in the second half of 2015, mounting criticism from international powers, and an austerity budget looming, the UK’s defence forces are facing a crunch over the next few months.

US President Obama Barack Obama urged Britain on the 7 June 2015, as one of the twin pillars of Nato, to find a way to maintain UK defence spending at 2% of GDP.

ESO: Background information: Burden Sharing and NATO’s 2 Percent Goal http://www.europeansources.info/record/burden-sharing-and-natos-2-percent-goal/

The Guardian, 07.06.15: Cameron urged by Obama to keep UK defence spending at 2% of GDP http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/07/uk-sends-more-troops-train-iraqi-forces

BBC News, 07.06.15: Obama urges Cameron to keep 2% defence spending target http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33043087

YouGov: Results, 15.03.15: Public: commit to NATO 2% defence spending target https://yougov.co.uk/news/2015/03/15/uk-should-commit-nato-2-defence-spending-target-pu/

UK: House of Commons: Library: Research Briefing, No.7134, 12 June 2015: Defence Spending - NATO 2% Target http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN07134

UK: FCO / MoD: Press Release, 05.08.15: Strategic Defence and Security Review Public Engagement https://www.gov.uk/government/news/strategic-defence-and-security-review-public-engagement

The Conversation, 04.12.15: The truth about UK defence spending December 4, 2015 https://theconversation.com/the-truth-about-uk-defence-spending-51758

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