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NEWS & LETTERS, April - May 2008NATO's expansionBush's recent trip to Europe in connection with all things NATO demonstrated the relentless expansion of the military alliance within Europe and without, the continued friction with Russia, as well as the tensions, though not-yet-fractures, with European countries. Even before the NATO summit meeting held in Romania, Bush journeyed to the Ukraine to indicate his strong support for the inclusion of the Ukraine and Georgia--countries directly on Russia's border--in his drive for the expansion of NATO across Europe. Despite the fact that France and Germany had already indicated they would not support such a move at present, Bush chose to lay down his markers for a greater NATO. At the summit, what he did achieve was far more significant: an agreement to add troops to the 47,000 presently in Afghanistan under NATO. "NATO is no longer a static alliance focused on defending Europe," stated Bush. "It is now an expeditionary alliance that is sending its forces across the world." The European states accept this global military reach of NATO, presently focused on Afghanistan, as they question how much of nuclear-armed Russia should be bordered by NATO countries. The question of the "usefulness" of NATO after the collapse of the Soviet Union, first answered in Kosova, is now solidified in Afghanistan. Bush won NATO's agreement for continuing to implement plans for a missile-defense system in Europe. He signed an agreement with the Czech Republic to build missile-defense radar for the system. Another part is to be constructed in Poland. After the summit Bush traveled to Croatia to celebrate Albania's and Croatia's joining the 26-member military alliance. Then he met with Russia's President Putin on the Black Sea. Here, they could only paper over the deep disagreements on missile defense and expansion of NATO in Europe. The Cold War may be over, but the two foremost nuclear world powers have not buried the hatchet. --Eugene Walker |
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