Documents concerning the NATO defense of Europe are believed to have been stolen, officials said.
The Pentagon could not afford to have Army divisions tied down in Florida if the Soviet Union tried to break through NATO defenses in Germany.
Washington's willingness to outspend Moscow on arms and maintain strong NATO defenses also helped.
We have twice as many people assigned to NATO regional defense as all the others combined (including France's unofficial presence).
He especially did not care for the idea of being part of the spearhead of NATO defenses.
It is also designed to highlight shortcomings in NATO defenses that require correction.
But another official speculated that restructuring NATO defenses around this concept could lead to a significantly diminished role for nuclear weapons in the alliance's military planning.
Many Americans believe that the Soviet Union could overwhelm NATO defenses in a conventional war in Western Europe.
The Soviets by no means face a denuclearized NATO defense posture.
Under the new arrangements, the Allies stationed troops within West Germany for NATO defense, pursuant to stationing and status-of-forces agreements.