Fighting at a lower weight

DW: Germany currently can't meet its long-term NATO commitments. Do you think this puts Germany's reliability as a close ally of the US to the test?

Charlie Dent: I believe many in America applaud Germany's leadership on economic matters in Europe. We recognize strong leadership when we see it. With respect to security matters, I believe like many Americans that Germany needs to play to its weight - that Germany must contribute more to the alliance in terms of defense and intelligence capabilities. In fact, I've advocated that we bring Germany into the "Five Eyes" agreement - the espionage agreement between the United States, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. One of the impediments to bringing Germany into that group is the fact that Germany is not enough invested into its own intelligence capabilities.

Many in the United States believe that Germany is an important player in terms of maintaining the rules-based order. We also believe that Germany has the fourth-largest economy in the world and should shoulder a greater share of the responsibility for our mutual security.

But don't you think not being able to meet long-term NATO commitments puts Germany's reliability to the test?

The United States and Germany are and will remain close friends and allies, despite any bust-ups we've had over the last year or so. But it will remain harder for the United States to count on Germany if issues like the "Islamic State" arise. We need partners with strong military capabilities, and we would want Germany to be part of that force.

But the issue isn't simply Germany, although Germany certainly has the greatest capacity of all our European allies in terms of defense. What I'm concerned about too is the fact that the United States is carrying three-quarters of the support for NATO, and only three European nations are spending at least two percent of their GDP on defense - Estonia, Greece, and the United Kingdom.

Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier assured the United Nations General Assembly over the weekend that Germany would take on a greater international security role. Do you think he has lost his credibility in light of the new revelations?

No I don't. I believe that Foreign Minister Steinmeier is sincere in what he's saying, although at this point I believe Germany playing a greater security role is aspirational. Germany sells weapons and weapons systems, and very effective ones.

The German military's former Chief of Staff Harald Kujat said it would be embarrassing for such a large country as Germany, with such a big economy, not to play a bigger role - do you agree?

Certainly as a matter of pride and self-respect Germany will want to increase its defense capabilities. I don't know how long the American public will continue to allow the US to continue to shoulder this very heavy burden of responsibility all on its own. Germany is fighting at a lower weight. They're a heavyweight, and they should play like a heavyweight. If you're wrestling somebody, and you're a big guy and you're wrestling lighter weights - that's not a good thing.

Charlie Dent is a Republican congressman from the state of Pennsylvania, and vice chairman of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations in the US House of Representatives.