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And why I want Finland to stay the frick out of it. You can't be me, I'm taken
I doubt France would want to leave NATO in that they hold a most advantageous position vis a vis the rest, US included, i.e., France holds a "joker", she is an "insider" but a very independent one.
If you like, they've got it extremely good both ways so why leave? (Actually, this is one of the bones of contention by US delegation -- France has the vote, the "veto" power in NATO but is independent to do as she pleases when she feels like it. Pretty great position to be in, don't you think?
Re: "joining the less independent inner group, which Sarkozy is hoping to do."
Care to expound? Thanks.
I heard about that. Know for a fact that some delegates were 'ecstatic' about it, ie, US delegates, but there's huge scepticism here that he would push through with the idea.
I'm not too sure about NATO serving US interests exclusively. It might appear that way but reality on the ground is something else, militarily and politically.
We do know that decision is made through concesus, i.e., if one of the members doesn' toe the line, a motion is defeated, US or no US.
The US knows this, eg., when NATO decides to fund a reasearch program (something that happened recently), America backed it up to the hilt but Germany backed out so the project was killed. It's true that the US is often frustrated at the manner some of their motions are often defeated with a simple nay from one member nation but that's the nature of NATO.
But from there to say that NATO member nation troops committed to Afghanistan are inexperienced is taking a bit too far; Gates' whining has the opposite effect on US allies NATO for that.
I think Gates sees the occupation of Afghanistan struggling and wants to shift blame for domestic consumption.
Another one is Afghanistan. America had to backtrack on their initial Afghanistan policy of going it alone and went back to the UN. Prior to UN decision or sometime in 2004 (no longer sure of the year), US was lobbying massively with NATO member nations to agree for them to back up their UN proposal that NATO be deployed in Afghanistan. They couldn't take on Afghanistan all on their own as they did not foresee the difficulties they would be encountering in Iraq.
In the end NATO was deployed to Afghanistan backed by a UN mandate to do so.
Would be terribly unjudicious for the US to act unilaterally. Roughly put, just won't work anymore or not unless they use their nukes.
Heh! Many Americans won't believe you; most believe that America is doing NATO member nations great favour or that America is providing the needed shield to protect them.
I would say the reverse is true, i.e., that NATO provides that missile shield or protection umbrella to prevent a full scale attack on America by some "rogue nations."
Everything that Migeru outlined is true.
If I may however clarify re European Battlegroups (BGs): apart from the fact that a political decision was arrived at, i.e., to prevent duplicating NATO efforts, a recent report commissionned by the European Parliament asserts that a majority of the BGs are ill-equipped and ill-prepared to take on the wide range of missions for which they are intended. This is the main reason why I think that for the time being Europe has no credible BGs along the lines of a simile NATO.
Anyway, it is unlikely that we will be having full-scale European Defence BGs for the reason Migeru advanced above -- just too much on the budget front for member nations.
All in all, must say I absolutely agree with Migeru: "It is not NATO that hinders the ability of Europeans to act indepedently, but the political determination of Europeans not to act independently."
Absolute rubbish that Europeans are military freeriders.
All defence acquisitions made by NATO or in defence research expenditures, EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF NATO has to put up defence money into the NATO kitty.
It is completely wrong to believe that the US on its own finances NATO military expenditures. Absolute rubbish! I repeat, every single member nation of NATO subsidizes every NATO project, militarily and politically!
If ever, I think US will need to raise its taxation policy just to beef up their war requirements particularly if Bush makes good his promise to do something about the Iran problem before he leaves office. Now, that will be seriously 'taxing!'
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