--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: NATO member states vary dramatically in…" description: "\"NATO member states vary dramatically in their capability and in their political steadfastness.\" — Donald Rumsfeld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_capability_nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in_451130.png" --- # NATO member states vary dramatically in their capability… ![“NATO member states vary dramatically in their capability and in their political steadfastness.” quote by Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_capability_nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in_451130.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_capability_nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in_451130.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_capability_nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in_451130.png) > “NATO member states vary dramatically in their capability and in their political steadfastness.” [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Member nations differ greatly in military strength and political resolve. **In simple terms:** NATO members vary in capability and resolve. Key Takeaway Recognize and address capability gaps. Themes defense politics alliance capability Mood analytical strategic Type political military When to use this quote - policy planning - strategic negotiations - defense budgeting Key Concepts strategic balance political commitment military readiness Questions to Reflect On - How can NATO ensure unified action? - What measures improve weaker members' capabilities? A Different Perspective Political steadfastness can waver under pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capability/) [Capability Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capability-political-3936891/) [Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members/) [NATO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nato/) [Nato Member](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nato-member-427956/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Steadfastness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-steadfastness-3936890/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [States Vary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states-vary-3936892/) [Steadfastness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steadfastness/) [Vary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vary/) ## Related quotes > [I belong to the initiators of the... and we had repeatedly also asked the dismantling of the SS-20 but we did not connect them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-kelly/i-belong-to-the-initiators-of-the-and-we-had-repeatedly-also-asked/) [Petra Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-kelly/) > [I don't see a bright future for Turkey. It pains me. But I have some hope, I pray for it to be better. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/i-don-t-see-a-bright-future-for-turkey-it-pains-me-but-i-have-some/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Turkey's a NATO member. If Turkey gets attacked, we have to help defend Turkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/turkey-s-a-nato-member-if-turkey-gets-attacked-we-have-to-help-defend/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [I have heard this a thousand times. Of course every state has the right to organize its security the way it deems appropriate. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-have-heard-this-a-thousand-times-of-course-every-state-has-the/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [When I served as US Ambassador to NATO in the 1970s, the center of gravity in Europe was France and Germany.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/when-i-served-as-us-ambassador-to-nato-in-the-1970s-the-center-of/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe. If you look at the entire NATO Europe today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/you-re-thinking-of-europe-as-germany-and-france-i-don-t-i-think-that-2/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [In 2003, at the time I made my "Old Europe" comment, the center of gravity in NATO and Europe had long since shifted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/in-2003-at-the-time-i-made-my-old-europe-comment-the-center-of/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Confide not in the firmness of your principles, or the steadfastness of your integrity. Be always vigilant and fearful. Never think you have enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brockden-brown/confide-not-in-the-firmness-of-your-principles-or-the-steadfastness/) [Charles Brockden Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brockden-brown/) > [As you allow the beloved to grow within you, you will discover a steadfastness to the spiritual journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-houston/as-you-allow-the-beloved-to-grow-within-you-you-will-discover-a/) [Jean Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-houston/) > [“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. (2 Thess. 3:5)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-smith/may-the-lord-direct-your-hearts-to-the-love-of-god-and-to-the/) [Scotty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-smith/) > [Steadfastness in believing doth not exclude all temptations from without. When we say a tree is firmly rooted, we do not say the wind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/steadfastness-in-believing-doth-not-exclude-all-temptations-from/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [Like myself, all Americans have a deep concern for the well-being of Iran. With them I have watched closely your courageous efforts, your steadfastness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/like-myself-all-americans-have-a-deep-concern-for-the-well-being-of/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [”Morale is the state of mind. It is steadfastness and courage and hope. It is confidence and zeal and loyalty. It is elan, esprit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/morale-is-the-state-of-mind-it-is-steadfastness-and-courage-and-hope/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The worth of a faith does not consist in the clarity with which it is stated but in the steadfastness with which it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-hahn/the-worth-of-a-faith-does-not-consist-in-the-clarity-with-which-it-is/) [Kurt Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-hahn/) > [All free peoples are deeply impressed by the courage and steadfastness of the Greek nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/all-free-peoples-are-deeply-impressed-by-the-courage-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) ## More by Donald Rumsfeld > [Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/five-days-or-five-months-but-it-certainly-isn-t-going-to-last-longer/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't think we'll discover anything, myself. I think what will happen is we'll discover people who will tell us where to go find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-think-we-ll-discover-anything-myself-i-think-what-will-happen/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each managed to get there for some reason. Learn what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/members-of-the-u-s-house-and-the-u-s-senate-are-not-there-by-accident/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential program is truly a federal responsibility or whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-federal-government-should-be-the-last-resort-not-the-first-ask-if/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-price-of-being-close-to-the-president-is-delivering-bad-news-you/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-speak-ill-of-your-predecessors-or-successors-you-didn-t-walk-in/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [If you can't solve a problem, make it bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/if-you-can-t-solve-a-problem-make-it-bigger/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/enjoy-your-time-in-public-service-it-may-well-be-one-of-the-most/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [There will be good moments, and there will be less good moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/there-will-be-good-moments-and-there-will-be-less-good-moments/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/from-where-you-sit-the-white-house-may-look-as-untidy-as-the-inside/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think, plan, develop, launch and tap good people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/you-will-launch-many-projects-but-have-time-to-finish-only-a-few-so/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [What is the value of having millions of people in Iraq not having a repressive regime? What is the value of having the Iraqi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/what-is-the-value-of-having-millions-of-people-in-iraq-not-having-a/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-be-a-bottleneck-if-a-matter-is-not-a-decision-for-the-president/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [When you're skiing, if you're not falling you're not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/when-you-re-skiing-if-you-re-not-falling-you-re-not-trying/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) [Explore all 234 Donald Rumsfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## More Capability quotes > [Capability is just a concept of what is it we're looking at. Now how far we can go along that and what new capabilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/capability-is-just-a-concept-of-what-is-it-we-re-looking-at-now-how/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [We artists give daily thanks for the miracle of our planet and for the inclination and the capability to honour it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/we-artists-give-daily-thanks-for-the-miracle-of-our-planet-and-for/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [Few men realize that their life, the very essence of their character, their capabilities and their audacities, are only the expression of their belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/few-men-realize-that-their-life-the-very-essence-of-their-character/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [One of the capabilities, which seems to be the most difficult for aspiring leaders to maste is realistic optimism. It requires one to recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-menkes/one-of-the-capabilities-which-seems-to-be-the-most-difficult-for/) [Justin Menkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-menkes/) > [You have the capability to change your life all with a simple shift in perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/you-have-the-capability-to-change-your-life-all-with-a-simple-shift/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [If you are facing a new challenge or being asked to do something that you have never done before don’t be afraid to step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/if-you-are-facing-a-new-challenge-or-being-asked-to-do-something-that/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Clearly, if wed had the kind of computer graphics capability then that we have now, the Star Gate sequence would be much more complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-trumbull/clearly-if-wed-had-the-kind-of-computer-graphics-capability-then-that/) [Douglas Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-trumbull/) > [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I'm just confident in myself and my capability to be able to play this position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-bridgewater/i-m-just-confident-in-myself-and-my-capability-to-be-able-to-play/) [Teddy Bridgewater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-bridgewater/) > [Primarily affecting low-information voters and members of the mainstream media, Obama Worship Syndrome attributes impossible capabilities to Obama's political opponents, finds excuses for every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/primarily-affecting-low-information-voters-and-members-of-the/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [The Iranians know that if they develop nuclear weapons, they will be in tremendous jeopardy from military capabilities of their neighbors and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-nunn/the-iranians-know-that-if-they-develop-nuclear-weapons-they-will-be/) [Sam Nunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-nunn/) > [I have proved my capability to everyone - my fans and critics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshad-warsi/i-have-proved-my-capability-to-everyone-my-fans-and-critics/) [Arshad Warsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshad-warsi/) > [I will then ask for a plan to immediately protect those vulnerabilities and then fix them.At the same time, we will invest heavily in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-will-then-ask-for-a-plan-to-immediately-protect-those/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I've seen people recover physical abilities, yet never get over emotional trauma after a serious accident. I've seen other people overcome the psychological and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilities-yet-never-get-over/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) [Browse all 801 Capability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "NATO member states vary dramatically in their capability and in their political steadfastness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald Rumsfeld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in-their-capability-and-in-their/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Capability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in-their-capability-and-in-their/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_capability_nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in_451130.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_capability_nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in_451130.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_capability_nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in_451130.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“NATO member states vary dramatically in their capability and in their political steadfastness.” — Donald Rumsfeld", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Donald Rumsfeld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "NATO member states vary dramatically in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in-their-capability-and-in-their/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/nato-member-states-vary-dramatically-in-their-capability-and-in-their/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```