Greece deserves respect for holding to its word

September 15 at 5:35 PM

Letters To The Editor

The Washington Post

Instead of applauding Greece for meeting its responsibility to NATO during a time of unprecedented economic crisis, Charles Lane chose to take an unnecessary, sarcastic swipe at the United States’ longtime ally in his Sept. 4 op-ed column, “ Bombs or benefits? ”

During the crisis, Greece has resisted compromising its defense budget. It is one of four NATO members to meet the alliance’s mandated standard to spend at least 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense. Greece spends nearly 2.3 percent.

A member of NATO since 1952, Greece is vital to the projection of U.S. strategic interests in the region. It is home to the most important naval installation in the Mediterranean Sea, which played critical roles in joint reconnaissance missions and air-refueling support for operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Unified Protector. Further, Greece participated in NATO- or U.S.-led missions in Bosnia, Somalia, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

Greece, one of three nations allied with the United States in every major international conflict of the 20th century and the nation that tallied the first Allied victory of World War II, deserves respect.

Nick Larigakis, Washington

The writer is president of the American Hellenic Institute.