Joe Lieberman: “I thank the Senator. What I am saying is that from the best estimates I have seen, the American contribution to the…”

“I thank the Senator. What I am saying is that from the best estimates I have seen, the American contribution to the common costs of NATO will be limited to the $400 million. But there will be other cases in our self-interest, such as the ones I have mentioned, where there is an international crisis and we will want to draw down, to give no-cost leases to Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic to help us so we incur less damage and less direct costs ourselves that I am afraid this amendment would limit. I consider that a very separate category than in the contribution we make to the common costs of NATO enlargement.”