France, Germany, and Spain rejected the argument by US and British defense chiefs that it is time for NATO to step in and relieve US forces of some counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan. (DR, 9/15/05) At a meeting of NATO defense ministers, Rumsfeld expressed the belief that NATO, at some point, could take over fighting insurgents in Afghanistan. The allies do plan to extend their peacekeeping role, but plans to merge command of the NATO mission and the US/coalition mission may be up a creek, as well.
The Chinese spy balloon may have popped, but funding to protect against similar threats is inflating, according to the Department of Defense. The high-attitude surveillance balloon that traversed the U.S. in late January and early February prompted last-minute additions to the Pentagon's budget of around $90 million for measures to…