Apropos NATO

With regard to the discussion on NATO here, Le Monde (via WatchingAmerica) has an interesting article regarding America’s attempt to breathe new life into NATO. According to Secretary of State Rice: “We intend to use NATO more efficiently as a trans-Atlantic forum.”

Having written off the United Nations during the build up to the Iraq war, the US now seems to be toying with NATO as multilateral alternative, albeit one where the US holds plays the dominant role. How far can we expect the US to go though? Is this a trial balloon or the opening pitch? With eastern Europe all having recently joined NATO and additionally all being much closer allies of the US than western Europe, this could likely be a continuation of the US’s divide et impera policy in regard to the EU. While the EU is the world’s largest single market, they are very weak on defense, a situation the US doesn’t want to change too much. In addition, fast tracking the Ukraine into NATO will provide another solid ally of the US inside the organization as well as leave Russia balancing on one last column in Europe, Belarus.

NATO’s website has more:

“[The theme of this meeting] was enhancing political dialogue amongst Allies ,”Â? NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told reporters, “NATO as the essential forum for security consultations between Europe and North America is the natural place to do that.”Â?

It seems the NATO Secretary General also shares US sentiments though it remains to be seen whether that can translate into action. While the catch phrase of the meeting was “transatlantic forum” the question is how the US and NATO plans to evolove out of this. France, as usual, objects. Nevertheless, NATO has a significantly greater chance to reform itself into a relevant and useful organization than the UN does and it seems the US is putting its money on that.