Posted on 04/04/2009 7:50:44 AM PDT by VRWCTexan
NATO averts split, names Danish PM as new chief
No other details yet
(Excerpt) Read more at ynetnews.com ...
Turkey will force NATO to bow to Islam. Obama will try with America. It is yet to be seen if he will be successful.
obama no doubt bowed deeply from the waist
Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has been chosen as the next secretary general of the Nato military alliance....
Rasmussen highlighted the challenges facing Nato such as ‘the fight against terrorism and our important mission in Afghanistan…and I want to strengthen the cooperation between Europe and the US’.
‘As secretary general of Nato I will make a very clear outreach to the Muslim world to ensure cooperation and intensify dialogue with the Muslim world. I consider Turkey a very important ally and strategic partner and I will cooperate with them in our endeavours to ensure the best cooperation with Muslim world,’ said Rasmussen
Officials said that Turkey’s strong objections had been overcome after U.S. president Barack Obama spoke to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish Prime Minister.
Mr. Sarkozy spoke warmly of Turkey.
Asked if Mr. Obama’s addition of 21,000 U.S. soldiers to the Afghan war might mean an increase of American influence in NATO, Mr. Sarkozy pointed to Mr. Rasmussen’s election, adding that the results of the meetings were what European leaders were looking for.
“I didn’t realize that Mr. Rasmussen was an American,” said Mr. Sarkozy. “He’s deeply European”
The countries agreeing to contribute further help, according to European diplomats, include Poland – which is to send as many as 600 troops – Spain, Croatia, Greece and the Netherlands. Germany is expected to confirm that it will be sending extra troops to the largely peaceful north of Afghanistan for the election on 22 August.
France is sending a further 150 military police to help train Afghan civilian police, arguing that last year it announced a large extra deployment.
The commitments gave Gordon Brown enough political cover to confirm an offer to send up to 1,000 extra troops on a temporary basis of a few months. T
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/04/europe-troops-afghanistan-nato-obama
The US is standing alone. Others around her love to reap the benefits but no one wants to pay the money, cost in blood, or politically. Obama won't change that.
When people have a freeloading relationship they generally want to keep it that way.
The US can't “force” others to help and when we do try to push or force the issue we inherently threaten or damage institutions like NATO as evidenced in 2003.
So where from here?
Do we keep paying 10 times on defense what Germany does, while their ships go through the Suez/Panama canals, navigate the the Gulf of Sidra, Hormuz, off the coast of Somalia or straight of Malacca as everyone else does for free? Should German business really be allowed to do business today in Iraq and make billions, should they really be allowed to buy their barrel of oil at the same market price as all others do on a free global market? They do little to nothing in the Middle East. The Germans are doing massive trade and are heavily involved today economically in the Balkans and former YU, but who really paid for a war there that set the conditions for what is today?
When people could cheat and get cable TV for free and not pay, what do they often do?
When people can cheat and not pay for music and download it from somewhere, what do they do?
When people can rip copies of movies, what do they often do?
The relationship we have with many allies is one where they like to stay in our shadow and they surely want to benefit from everything we do, but they do not want to pay. That simple.,BR>
Bush said it the way it was, and of course many didn't like that.
Obama simply engages in "Schmeichelei (Flattery)", but he won't change anything either in the moochers we have today. They might throw him a bone, but essentially nothing substantial will come of his visit.
Well said !
I bet that one was a real wink-wink, nudge-nudge session.
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