Has NATO had it?

[monkspider]

Putting aside it's obviously anachronistic origins of serving as an alliance against the Soviet Union, do recent events point toward NATO ultimately dissolving in the not so distant future?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2743661.stm -
Rumsfeld states than any American military adventurism will occur as planned despite dissent within NATO.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2746459.stm

Paris Pact forms with Germany, France, and Russia as it's initial members.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2744491.stm

NATO bad blood rocks the alliance, members are deeply divided - so divided it seems that they cannot even agree to plan to assist one of their own allies who may be under threat.
But that of course is precisely what Nato's principal role is supposed to be.


Will we see the de facto end of NATO sometime soon?

[SlowwHand]

I'd say it's destined for the history books.

[DuncanK]

Alliances can't really hold up after the war is over

[monkspider]

This one has held up for a fairly long time Duncan. Has it's time finally come?

[Shi Huangdi]

NATO is here to stay. Disagreement over Iraq will not bring it to an end.

[Spiffor]

Same as Shi here. The Paris pact will flop down as soon as France and Russia back the US into attacking Iraq.

[Odin]

NATO is of no use anymore, the US keeps it as a way to bully the Europeans.

[Bereta_Eder]

It's a goner

[Bereta_Eder]

BTW France and Belgium vetoing Turkey LOL
where is my popcorn?

nah it will notbe gone but it will not be the same or as strong again

[Sandman]

Maybe the Americans will realise just how many bases they will lose. Then again, maybe not.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
NATO is here to stay. Disagreement over Iraq will not bring it to an end.

Well I hope so, I couldn´t believe that Schröder is stupid enough to ruin Germany´s reputation completely. Obviously, he´s trying very hard at the moment

The new Paris/Berlin/Moscow thing looks like a 18th/19th century game

[Lancer]

Ex UN embassador Jean Kirkpatrick said she "seriously doubts" that France will come in with the US for Iraq.

A three way alliance between France, Germany and Russia aimed at the US...

Well, they each used to be somebody, but now they are weak. There is almost no point in having their help in Iraq. What are they going to use? Harsh language?

Screw em...

As for NATO, the US should stay in NATO. It's going to be very tough going now for France and Germany in that organization having voted against defending one of NATO's own, Turkey.

This is more about the end of any credibilty France and Germany had left than about the end of NATO. Bush was right when he said "this hurts NATO". It doesn't end it however.

France has never been strong in NATO, the big change is that this current German government got into bed with France. Lets see how Germany likes it when they wake up in the morning.

[Bereta_Eder]

I love it the way they keep slapping the US around

[Lancer]

piaktis, they are slapping themselves around. You think Bush cares what happens in the little league?

These countries took themselves out of the picture when they shut down their military capability, not that it was recently very great. France and Germany lack the ability to slap, sorry. They used to depend on the US during the cold war instead of standing up and counting in their own defense. Now they put together this alliance, well 3x nothing is still nothing.

They are a joke, and they are just getting funnier.

[Bereta_Eder]

Doesnt look that way...

Its very funny to keep watching rumsie tearing his clothes apart