Cameron calls for NATO shake-up

David Cameron has said that current NATO military and funding arrangements are "neither fair nor sustainable".

In a speech addressing the future of the military alliance, the Conservative leader called for changes which would ease the burdens on the countries which provide most military capacity.

His comments echo those of the government, which has also urged other countries to do more in operations such as that in Afghanistan.

"Under current arrangements, those who do the fighting also do the funding - bearing both the risks of casualties and the financial strain," Cameron said in a speech at Chatham House.

"This is neither fair nor sustainable in the long term."

His proposals include establishing a 'common operational fund' to split the cost of operations between all NATO members and devolving operational command to commanders on the ground.

Cameron also called for a cut in the number of 'national caveats', saying that "there has got to be a basic doctrine that if you're in, you're in".

"National caveats are causing immense damage in Afghanistan - complicating the task of theatre commanders and breeding resentment amongst those allies that are bearing the brunt of the fighting," he said.

"It is inevitable that they should wish - and are sometimes constitutionally obliged - to be able to retain an ultimate say in how their troops are deployed.

"The problem is with the proliferation of national caveats that started in NATO's Balkan operations and has got completely out of hand in Afghanistan. This is no way to fight a war."