Posted on 03/08/2009 12:32:44 PM PDT by Cincinna
The French, who never really left, are expected to rejoin NATO as full members at the alliance’s 60th anniversary summit meeting next month.
The decision, still to be formalized by President Nicolas Sarkozy, has stirred a predictable political debate in France, but it is being welcomed by Washington and France’s European allies.
The full reintegration of France into the command structure of NATO will have little practical impact; France has long contributed money and is the fourth largest contributor of troops. But the decision to rejoin as a full partner carries enormous political and psychological weight, NATO officials and experts say.
It could promise an effective end to an argument that has lasted decades, led by France, about Europe acting as a “counterweight” to the United States in military affairs.
Herman Schaper, the Dutch ambassador to NATO, said that other Europeans “were always pushed into taking a European approach or the U.S. approach — to choose between being ‘Atlanticist’ or ‘European.’ ” It was “a fake debate.”
For too long, Mr. Schaper said, “problems became theological and not practical, and now we’re being more pragmatic” in decision-making. “I see it as a huge step forward the French are taking because of its impact on other countries, and it closes this long debate.”
The American ambassador to NATO, Kurt Volker, noted that Washington, too, had moved toward embracing a European security and defense identity within NATO — with European-led tasks like the policing of Kosovo — and wanted a more muscular European role, not the reverse. “Sarkozy argues that France is being reintegrated into a transformed NATO, and I believe that’s true,” he said. France’s decision, he added, “underscores that NATO is a European institution, and it means that this ‘counterweight’ argument is dead.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The French will improve NATO only if it is lacking in arrogance and incompetence.
President Nicolas Sarkozy will fulfill his campaign promise to finally reintegrate France into NATO.
That will put an end to the Ancien Regime policies of Genral de Gaulle, who took France out of NATO.
Sarko has promised to reinforce the Atlantist position of France, and strengthen relations with the US. His many visits with President George W. Bush emphasized his committment.
France has a first rate military, Air Force, and not to be forgotten, a large Nuclear arsenal.
France and America have always had a very special, close relationship.
Go Sarko!
This is one of the issues that Sarko ran on, it is good to see him implement or advance the issue.
And few Western countries know more about Africa then France does.
I sometimes regret that the creation of our country resulted in the destruction of their monarchy and the Terror.
Does this mean that any real EU military force is dead?
He's not the only one making plans to take advantage of the Obama vacuum. Certainly America's adversaries such Putin, Chavez, Kim, Wen, Bin Laden and Ahmadinejad (just to name a few) are salivating at the opportunities to do mischief in the wake of the Obama vacuum. Every day the news shows that they are making their moves. As are America's newly-disrespected allies such as Brown and Merkel and Netanyahu and even Harper and Rudd.
They all know that when the White House phone rings at 3:00 AM, it will be a naive, America-hating rookie community organizer who answers it, rather than an adult. Too bad that the American people still don't get it.
For the sake of humman civilization, it's nice to see Sarkozy step up to the plate.
Thank you for putting it so well.
Sarko is a brilliant politician, capacities agreed to by friend and foe alike.
France, and Sarko as President, have huge expertise and influence in Africa.
Maybe America will learn her lesson if we can find a way out of this fiasco.
EXPERIENCE COUNTS!
You can’t take a guy who has never had a real job except “community organizer” and make him POTUS. A guy who was amediocre student, whose only real experience was not even half a term as a US Senator, and a member of the Illinois State Legislature. Illinois, the same Illinois that is the mmost corrupt political cesspool in the country.
He is clueless, and in way over his head. Who will step in to fill the power vacuum? There is already a shadow government inplace, right inside the WH. Rahm, Carville, Begala, Holder- they all belong to the Clintons and take their marching orders from them.
Never having to manage anything, Obama doesn’t understand the #1 and #2 principles of management: don’t let your enemies be in a position to hurt you; don’t hire people whose loyalties lie elesewhere.
Add to that the Clintonista Carol ""International Socialist" Browner, Energy Commissar.
yitbos
Thanks Cincinna.
Thanks, bbm
Is someone keeping a running list of the Clintonoids in the Obama administration?
THIS IS THE NEW YORK TIMES THEREFORE IT’S CRAP AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THIS WEBSITE! IF WE DON’T READ IT WE DON’T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT OR DISCUSS IT!
:) Just joining the FR Ostrich Brigade
If you can find another article on President Sarkozy’s decision to return France to NATO as a full fledged member, in English, I would be happy to post it.
As far as I can see, with my familiarity with the aspects of the Sarko policy, this article from the NYT is factually correct.
Even a broken clock is correct twice a day.
Good call...
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