Outgoing U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates continues a farewell tour before his retirement at the end of the month. Earlier today, Gates told a gathering in Brussels that NATO risks becoming “irrelevant” unless member states increase military spending and boost involvement in the wars in Afghanistan and Libya. Gates criticized European members of NATO for cutting back on their military budgets, which he called “chronically starved for adequate funding.” Speaking before a NATO gathering on Thursday, Gates repeated his assertion that the United States is in no rush to exit Afghanistan. He also said NATO should be more receptive to the complaints of Afghan President Hamid Karzai about civilian deaths.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates: “Even as the United States begins to draw down next month, I assured my fellow ministers there will be no rush to the exits on our part, and we expect the same from our allies. I have made the case often over the years that we don’t listen carefully enough to President Karzai.’’