NATO Crisis Deepens As Meeting Is Abandoned (20 Minutes)

Ananova ^ | 2-12-2003

[blam]

Nato crisis deepens as meeting is abandoned

Nato remains in crisis after a meeting of ambassadors aimed at sorting out differences over Iraq was abandoned after 20 minutes.

A second day of consultations at alliance HQ in Brussels failed to end one of the worst crises in Nato's 53 year history.

France, Germany and Belgium refused to lift their veto of US backed plans to bolster Turkish defences against a possible Iraqi missile attack.

After two postponements during the day, ambassadors from the 19 Nato countries met for only 20 minutes before ending the session.

Talks were to resume Wednesday, said a diplomat.

"Right now we do not have a conclusion," said Nato spokesman Yves Brodeur. The division in the alliance could undermine the America's attempts to muster support in the UN Security Council for military action against Iraq.

France, Russia and Germany sought more time for increased UN inspections in a proposal opposed by Washington.

Nato's infighting also casts doubt on the future of an alliance, which has spent the past years seeking to reinvent itself as a force to confront terrorism and rogue states.

Story filed: 17:59 Tuesday 11th February 2003

[timestax]

Nato's infighting also casts doubt on the future of an alliance, which has spent the past years seeking to reinvent itself as a force to confront terrorism and rogue states.

And reinvent itself by helping billdo clintoon wag the dog, away from his "wimmim" problems!

[Elenya]

And reinvent itself by helping billdo clintoon wag the dog, away from his "wimmim" problems!

Yep. Let's not forget about that.

[RobbyS]

Likely a slow process of decay as Sweden has decayed.

[Tailback]

Hell yes! I've already seen Germany, I haven't been to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, or the Czech republic yet! Time to update NATO with some new countries for me to get some paid vacation in.

[dfwgator]

I am so looking forward to one day visiting Eastern Europe. There are some beautiful parts of Poland, especially in the Tatry Mountain region, and Prague looks like a very beautiful city.

[Tailback]

Heck, why don't we put a Joint US/Russian airbase in Russia for training purposes and a large Mechanized warfare training base for joint training with US and Russian forces without the stupid environmental restrictions of the US. Both would pour US dollars into the local economies, and provide needed training to the Russians who will need it if the Chinese ever get frisky. An added bonus is the proximity to the Middle East.

[Tailback]

I've got relatives living (teaching English actually) in Slovakia. My wife and I have wanted to visit for years. I would volunteer for a 6 month active duty hitch in a heartbeat to get in that area.

[Travis McGee]

Just wait until the 82nd Airborne captures those WMD sites, and finds all those technical manuals in French and German!

[al_again]

Sorry, France is a member of Nato. They re-joined in the 90's (unfortunately). Maybe we can convince them to quit again along with Germany and Belgium....

[montag813]

Let's expel France, Gremany, and Belgium from NATO, get out of the UN, and pull our troops from decaying Old Europe.

No. Let's expel them from EUROPE. Belgium can be the new Palestinian state.

[Milesdavislover]

I think this is what China and Russia have wanted all along. Break up the only alliance that can stop them and isolate us (while the world hates us for Iraq). Watch new alliances form quickly

[colorado tanker]

Could it be a very large moslem fifth column already in place in these countries?

Well, there is a large muslim community in France, mostly Algerian, which partially explains their opposition, but the Gaullists have never been particularly worried about public opinion in framing policy. In Germany the muslim population is mostly Turk, which one would think would not be pleased with Germany's spurning of Turkey.

In the past these countries would tend to get out of our way in a low key way in a situation like this. This time they are noisily opposing the US which is isolating them even in Europe, which France wants to lead. I'm very suspicious that France and Germany are desperate to keep some very embarrassing secrets about Iraq and its WMD programs from coming to light.

[colorado tanker]

Just wait until the 82nd Airborne captures those WMD sites, and finds all those technical manuals in French and German!

We're thinking alike. Betcha there are also some money transfer records in Baghdad that would embarass those folks.

[Travis McGee]

I hope so.