article_snippet: But these battlefield laurels disguised fundamental weakness.
article_snippet: Britain's principal value to the U.S. lies with the U.S. defense capabilities.
article_snippet: the U.S. proved a loyal if not especially effective ally in Afghanistan and Iraq.
article_snippet: Although capacity has steadily declined in the past 30 years, Britain was seventh in the world in 2013 in terms of military spending and remains a dependable the U.S. deputy within NATO.
article_snippet: But the pre-election consensus is that the next British government will be obliged to slash defense spending again, probably below the 2% of GDP threshold to which NATO members are pledged to maintain.
article_snippet: Big cuts in army and air force numbers are in prospect.
article_snippet: It is likely, on these trends, that Britain would be unable to contribute separately to any new international campaign, but would be obliged to place Britain troops under the U.S. command, as General Raymond Odierno, the U.S. army chief of staff, recently suggested.
article_snippet: America's top politicians, soldiers and diplomats, such as U.N. ambassador Samantha Power, are applying increasing pressure on Britain over defense expenditure, but with little joy so far.
article_snippet: Embarrassed by public criticism, Cameron belatedly sent a few army advisers to help train Kiev's forces.
article_snippet: Similarly, London's military contribution to the fight against ISIS has been minimal, and confined to Iraq.
article_snippet: And as for Japan, ostensibly an important British ally, recent defense cooperation agreements do not disguise the likely infeasibility of sharp-end assistance.