Article

2005-02-22 Europe

Latest masterpiece from Mark Steyn on NATO

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Brett 2005-02-22 00:00:00 AM|| || Front Page|| [11132 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Terribly depressing assessment.

Bye, Europe. It's been real.

Posted by badanov 2005-02-22 4:40:38 AM|| [http://www.rkka.org] 2005-02-22 4:40:38 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 the death of "the West". And to replace it, the Anglosphere (without ethnic conatations) which a number of Asian countries would sign up to.

Posted by phil_b 2005-02-22 5:52:20 AM|| 2005-02-22 5:52:20 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Let's throw the bases in Europe right up front in the next list of possible base closings for the BRAC.

Posted by Grort Shotle5111 2005-02-22 7:24:45 AM|| 2005-02-22 7:24:45 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 I wouldn't say bye to all Europe. Russia won't be out for ever and Germany won't stay down, especially if there's no adult supervision. The Poles, Czechs, Hungarians, Romanians et al in Central Europe will welcome us and will be more effective alllies as their recovery from 50 years under communism proceeds. And the Brits, Dutch and Norwegians are not guaranteed to jump in the toilet with the French and Belgians. Just rename NATO and move it to Warsaw.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-02-22 7:42:37 AM|| 2005-02-22 7:42:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 Withdraw from NATO(it's an alliance in name only).It is time France,Germany,Spain,etc stand or falls on it's own.To paraphrase Horace Greely"Go east young man".

Posted by raptor 2005-02-22 8:29:12 AM|| 2005-02-22 8:29:12 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 NATO = Needs America To Operate

Posted by 2b 2005-02-22 10:51:11 AM|| 2005-02-22 10:51:11 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 His asssessment is depressing, all right, but seems to be on the mark. Rummy's statement on Old Europe was also on the mark. Things change. If countries like France, Germany, Spain, etc. do not share our priorities and values, then we deal with them on our common ground and move on. Mrs. Davis made the point: There are a number of countries in Central and Eastern Europe that share our values through hard won freedoms. There are opportunities to do good things because we have common interests.

I am not enthusiastic, however, about bailing out Europe in places like Kosovo and other places in the former Yugoslavia. They need to clean up their backyard themselves. If they can't deal with that, they can't do anything.

On the subject of staying or withdrawing from NATO, I would keep with them for now, with the knowledge that they are fading into the sunset. I would be very careful about technology transfers and sharing of sensitive secrets. I would imagine that alot of this is bound by treaty, but with the rumblings of mil trade with the Chicoms, I have this feeling that we are giving away technology that will be lobbed back at us. Anyone out there with NATO experience that can enlighten us on NATO use or misuse of US military equipment and knowhow?

Posted by Alaska Paul 2005-02-22 11:04:06 AM|| 2005-02-22 11:04:06 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 Remember, America is a Maritime, Oceanic power. This means Poland, with a seacoast and good port cities, will be a key player. The problem will be whether the Scandinavian countries (denmark, Norway, sweden) will allow passage.

Posted by Ptah 2005-02-22 2:35:55 PM|| [http://www.crusaderwarcollege.org] 2005-02-22 2:35:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 I'd like to see them try to stop us.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-02-22 2:46:58 PM|| 2005-02-22 2:46:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 It's easy for any bordering country to stop passage thru the Baltic Mrs. D. Mines, lotsa mines.

Posted by Shipman 2005-02-22 4:13:28 PM|| 2005-02-22 4:13:28 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Once.

Then we clear them.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-02-22 4:20:53 PM|| 2005-02-22 4:20:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Just rename NATO and move it to Warsaw.

Aaah Mrs. Davis! Clear and direct like usual.

Thanks!

Posted by BigEd 2005-02-22 4:58:07 PM|| 2005-02-22 4:58:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Problem is that Poland and all of our other prospective allies in Eastern Europe are EU members. Their shiny new Constitution will largely prohibit their joining a NATO-esque alliance with the US. Instead they'll be locked into the Franco-German American counterweight model.

Posted by AzCat 2005-02-22 9:46:07 PM|| 2005-02-22 9:46:07 PM|| Front Page Top

14:55 Robert Crawford
14:55 Robert Crawford
23:28 Sobiesky
23:27 Asedwich
23:18 Dcreeper
23:17 2b
23:13 Sobiesky
23:11 Seafarious
23:08 Dcreeper
23:05 phil_b
23:02 crazyhorse
22:55 gromky
22:45 Dcreeper
22:27 trailing wife
22:12 Bomb-a-rama
22:07 Sock Puppet of Doom
21:55 ITolYouSoLucy
21:52 Jonathan
21:52 ITolYouSoLucy
21:50 gromky
21:46 AzCat
21:45 Poison Reverse
21:44 gromky
21:43 gromky