article_snippet: General Raymond Odierno also called on the Government to maintain defence spending at the NATO target of two per cent of national income.
article_snippet: And the ex-Chief of the General Staff urged all the major political parties to promise to protect defence spending at 2 per cent of national income after the general election.
article_snippet: This Weekend, Sir Peter urged: 'We military folk would like to see manifesto commitments to levels of defence expenditure and it's of concern to We that all parties would probably be content to have this conversation not happening at the moment. '
article_snippet: Implicit in what the current government was saying around the time of the Nato summit in Wales last year where We were suggesting that it was everybody's responsibility around Europe to meet the 2% of GDP for defence expenditure, implicit in that is the fact that that's what we ought to be doing we.'
article_snippet: During a recent visit to Washington Mr Cameron was told by President Barack Obama that reducing Britain's defence budget to below 2 per cent would undermine the treaty . '
article_snippet: Washington Mr Cameron was among world leaders who pressed other member countries into meeting the 2 per cent target of military spending at the summit in Wales last year.
article_snippet: However recent reports revealed the Government planned to lower spending to 1.8 per cent.
article_snippet: President Barack Obama last month insisted Britain live up to the agreed amount or it would face weakening NATO.
article_snippet: During a visit to Washington President Barack Obama told Washington Mr Cameron that anything less than 2 per cent would seek to undermine the treaty.
highlights_snippet: This would fall below the 2 per cent benchmark set by NATO members .