U.S. Air Force leader sees Russia as 'biggest threat'

Russia is the biggest threat to U.S. national security and America must boost its military presence throughout Europe even as NATO allies face budget challenges and scale back spending, U.S. Air Force Secretary Deborah James said on Wednesday.

"I do consider Russia to be the biggest threat," James told Reuters in an interview after a series of visits and meetings with U.S. allies across Europe, including Poland.

James said Washington was responding to Russia's recent "worrisome" actions by boosting its presence across Europe, and would continue rotational assignments of F-16 fighter squadrons.

"This is no time to in any way signal a lack of resolve in the face of these Russian actions," she said.

James said she was disappointed that only four of NATO's 28 members had thus far met the NATO target of spending 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense .... http://www.reuters.com