The American Spectator

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(Page 7 of 11)

Today, the threat that conceived NATO, is increasingly facing its attention and forces to the East, China and the south, Islamic border states like Iran. The western facing forces of the Russian Republic are at best 12 divisions. Only half of which would pass for modern in the Western sense. And rather than having compliant satellite states in which to march to the Channel, they have wary neighbors that they would have to invade to get near the East German border. Even more ironic, the states of Estonia and Latvia are now tooling their armed forces with U.S. equipment. The Russian bear's road is now filled with pot holes on the way to Bremen.

On the U.S. military front only Britain stands near equal to the U.S. in military capability and commitment. Neither German or French forces are capable of the low level night raids as evidenced in the Gulf Wars. Neither have stealth technology in their air arms. For France to even engage an armed enemy of any distance outside of its own soil requires U.S. airlift capability. And for further insult, the last time that the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle attempted sea trials the propeller fell off in the harbor. Both countries lack the integrated arms/theater intelligence systems possessed by most of the U.S. divisions. Rather than shrinking, the capability gap widens every year. NATO therefore is already a shell.

NATO also possesses a political arm as well. But considering that the EU's long term goals are for a Eurocentric view, the political aims of NATO will be inconsistent with EU worldview. The aims of NATO in this sphere are hence short lived as the EU influence expands.

The U.S. would be better served by the U.S. stating the original NATO mission has been accomplished. It is time to take the 57,000 troops home or put them where they could be of some use in Iraq. But considering that France and Germany today seem willing to go it alone, I say -- let them. They can attempt to shoulder the burden, they can live with the loss of revenue to the local economies. Hopefully it would give them pause. But America's military interests are no longer centered on the West German plain attempting to hold back Russian hordes.

p>It is time for the EU fledglings to attempt to soar, or die trying on the canyon floor below. br> -- John McGinnis br> Arlington, Texas /p> p> Jed Babbin replies: br> Mr. McGinnis: I think we're moving along parallel lines. I agree that NATO's original mission is accomplished. We have, though, a need for a military alliance with those nations such as Britain, that have (a) a significant military capacity; and (b) the will to fight our common enemy, Islamic fascism. NATO -- like it or not -- is a powerful "brand name" around the world and thus worth saving. As I said in the article, those members of the Axis of Weasels who lack the will to defend themselves are not worthy of our defending them. NATO can be more than a shell. But that will require tossing several members out, and cajoling others into spending on military affairs at an adult level. There's not much hope they will, and if they do not, they should be left to sink into the sunset with France. /p> p> BROOKS BOTHER

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