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Klaus and the Lisbon Treaty: No Need to Hurry
October 16, 2009 | 3 comments
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U.S. or Them on NATO
June 19, 2009 | 30 comments
The Spectacle Blog
[The following is a guest post by Sally McNamara, a Senior Policy Analyst in European Affairs at The Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. Sally writes in response to this morning's post by Doug Bandow.]
Doug Bandow's piece "Defending the European Weenies," would be more appropriately titled, "Isolationism rocks." Although he is correct that the Continental Europeans aren't doing enough or spending enough on defense, he’s wrong to assume that NATO doesn't add to U.S. national security. His proposal to take every American troop out of Europe and close every American base is a recipe for disaster.
Strategically and tactically, Europe matters as much to the U.S. as any other geographic area. A resurgent Russia, missile proliferation, and Islamist extremism are just a handful of transatlantic challenges which requires America to have mutually reinforcing alliances. The old days, where bipolarity meant a large amount of predictability are long gone. NATO is the centerpiece of its multilayered European alliance architecture, which includes a Special Relationship with Great Britain and (hopefully) an upgraded security pact with Poland and the Czech Republic.
There's no doubt that those East of Berlin need, want and in some cases crave NATO's sacred Article V guarantee. But what was the point of winning the Cold War only to throw it all away 20 years later? And let's not forget that Article V has only ever been invoked once -- by the United States on September 12, 2001.
Mr. Bandow's idea that Europe can take care of itself is wrong-headed in the extreme. The European Union was unable to dispatch a few hundred bureaucrats to Kosovo on time last year, and that's after NATO did all the heavy lifting. If a Milosevic-type character fancies his chances at ethnic cleansing the Balkans once again, we can be sure that the reams of paper used on condemnatory statements will increase Brussels' carbon footprint ten-fold, but we can be equally sure that the blue-helmets of the EU won’t be going over the horizon anytime soon.
Rep. Turner's 'NATO First Act' skillfully analyses how NATO should fit into the global strategic environment. Committing to missile defense, opening NATO's door and maintaining a U.S. presence on European soil significantly advance American security.
Doug Bandow's arguments betray a dangerous streak of withdrawal making the rounds in Washington. Europe needs to take note. Between the sad state of European defense budgets and German troops safely ensconced in the North of Afghanistan, America is growing tired of carrying the world’s security burden with just a few reliable allies at her side. It is time for the Germans, French and Italians to take the lead of the British, Dutch and Poles in Afghanistan and step up to the plate.
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More Blog Posts by Sally McNamara
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/06/19/avoiding-disaster-with-nato
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Puppy| 6.19.09 @ 1:03PM
Need spell check - first sentence. It is really bad to read typos in this day and age of technology.
Sassy| 6.19.09 @ 1:31PM
What typo?
Puppy| 6.19.09 @ 1:45PM
The "gollowing"
I think it was meant to be "following"
Old Texican| 6.19.09 @ 1:56PM
Hey Puppy Don't you know what "gollowing" means?
My goodness, what a sadly undereducated would-be editor.
duh!
Puppy| 6.19.09 @ 2:03PM
feel better old Texican? Get a dictionary if you can read -
Red Phillips| 6.19.09 @ 2:25PM
Thank the Lord for Doug Bandow, a sensible non-interventionist. Withdrawing form NATO and bringing our troops home from Europe is obviously the wise thing to do, and it is obviously the conservative position. Ms. McNamara is espousing liberal internationalism. So I guess the Heritage Foundation is Wilsonian now?
Tim| 6.19.09 @ 2:59PM
Do the (west) Europeons really "crave" US bases? Or just the money they generate for local economies?
What would Russian domination do for the French wine industry?
Old Texican| 6.19.09 @ 3:25PM
(Puppy...I was gently laughing at you for avoiding the substance of the article for a jab at a simple typo.
Surely you have something better to do than play a 6th grade English teacher in pajamas.)
OK back to substance: NATO is an acceptable framework in case things go really scarey in Europe. Leave it alone.
Puppy| 6.19.09 @ 4:18PM
@Old Texican - scary not scarey...lol
I gotta go change my pajamas...too funny
Sassy| 6.19.09 @ 6:22PM
Puppy--good for you, you've got a doctorate in snark.
Your mother must be so proud.
Truth| 6.19.09 @ 6:25PM
Scarey is also acceptable--look it up, nimrod.
Puppy| 6.19.09 @ 7:57PM
I believe the snark award should go to Old Texican who threw the first insult. I was merely pointing out a typo that I thought someone would want to correct since this opinion comes from such a prestigious organization. Thanks for correcting it - very professional now.
So touchy we are these days - lighten up a little.
Truth| 6.19.09 @ 8:14PM
Admit you were wrong about 'scarey'. C'mon now.
Puppy| 6.19.09 @ 8:56PM
After careful research, I humbly apologize and regret my post in which I corrected Old Texican on his spelling of scarey/scary. I have found that both spellings are acceptable. I would also like to publicly commend Trust for pointing out the error of my ways so eloquently.
How's that? All is forgiven?
Puppy| 6.19.09 @ 9:00PM
One for you Truth - I screwed up and spelled your "name" wrong. I guess I should have proofed my post before clicking "submit."
don hutchin| 6.19.09 @ 9:04PM
I was glad to see the USSR fall, and was ready to see NATO dry up and blow away. But everyone said NO NO NO, where would you find employement for all of poor execs, and who would pick up there pension payments? No No No
NATO must be preserved!
Don USAF retired
Trusty Truth| 6.19.09 @ 10:06PM
Yes, Puffy--I knew you were funnin' with me. You made me laugh--have a good weekend. :)
Puffy| 6.19.09 @ 10:22PM
You too Truth, you too. Very fun.
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