I think SECDEF Gates smiles when he sees it as well.
...nearly a decade after the Taliban were toppled from power in Afghanistan, Gates expressed concerns about NATO member nations’ level of commitment, suggesting that the political and cultural climates in Europe have caused the credibility of Article 5 to be called into question -- an aspect of NATO’s identity that the new concept should go further to restore, he added.
...
“I believe we have reached an inflection point, where much of the continent has gone too far in the other direction,” Gates said of contemporary Europe’s view of its security needs.. “The demilitarization of Europe -- where large swaths of the general public and political class are averse to military force and the risks that go with it -- has gone from a blessing in the 20th century to an impediment to achieving real security and lasting peace in the 21st.”It is at times like this that I think of our friend Admiral Stavridis. SACEUR is a tough job. He is a happy warrior though, he'll be fine.
"All of this should be a wake-up call that NATO needs serious, far-reaching, and immediate reforms to address a crisis that has been years in the making,” he said. “And unless the Strategic Concept spurs operational and institutional changes like those I just mentioned, it will not be worth the paper it is printed on.”
Guess the EU president got a serious dose of English Parliment :) You go, boy!!!
ReplyDeleteFirst, Gates is, of course, 200% right. The situation that you lament is very real, but I do not see how it can be reversed.
ReplyDeleteIf only we had the media on our hand, or even one outlet. Take Denmark e.g.. Proportionally, they have taken a comparable loss as the US. But here's the weird thing. Danes by and large
SUPPORT their troops. And an even weirder thing is, a majority of Danes is actually PROUD of the involvement. Of course, this may have to do with the rather exceptional situation of Denmark in WWII - of all European countries, with the exception of Luxembourg, perhaps no country offered less resistance than Denmark. The Nazis bagged them in 1 day. I suppose there has, subconsciously, existed a certain dose of shame in the Danish psyche.
CDR, I see you are using the same video as I do. I cannot blame anyone for not knowing Herman Van Rompuy, but some background might be useful. It's not completely black and white: http://downeastblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/nigel-farage-herman-van-rompuy-and.html
Erm, my point in the previous comment was that in Denmark, there's actually rather positive coverage in MSM on Danish operations in AF.
ReplyDeleteIn my own country, there's nothing but negative coverage. E.g. the national broadcaster will interview the MOTHER of a pilot leaving for AF, and lo and behold, she exclaims 'that she absolutely does not understand what her son has to do there'. No concurring opinions are offered. How CAN you expect there's public support for the war?
But at least Danes had their finest hour with the great evacuation of Jews to Sweden...
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_of_the_Danish_Jews
The Brits are getting cranky about the EU? GOOD! HUZZAH! Bring on the collapse of the EU!
ReplyDeleteWhat's the deal with the photo of the Russians and the Diggers? Thier uniforms really do make Russians look like they are up to no good, don't they?
ReplyDeleteEwok, you are correct of course.
ReplyDeleteMy point was, it's not about the Danish people. Most are splendid individuals. It's the policies, the dangerous policies of NOT arming out of pacifist principles and thereby.... practically INVITE evil to strike.
Come to think of it, I don't even think the Danes lasted even one day in April 40. The Germans had perhaps 4 KIA. If. What the Danes could field was pathetic.
And now? Now they have Leo 2's operating 8,000 kloms from home.
Previous attempts to unite the European continent have been military affairs and generally ended badly. This attempt, while peaceful, seems to have about the same scant regard for the principle of governing with the consent of the governed. Nigel Farage makes some very good points.
ReplyDeleteEurope seems be going the way of soft tyranny and unaccountable government. With anonymous bureaucrats and unelected "leaders" increasingly controlling every aspect of people's lives it's only a matter of time before Europeans discover they have been sold out by their elites. Now, if only a lot more Nigel Farage's can be elected to stop this before democracy is completely abandoned, they may be able to stop it before a multi national corporatist state is fully implemented.
As much as I dislike Brussels elites, I think downfall of the EU would bring out the worst of the Europe, namely competition of nation states turning to nationalism and then warfare.
ReplyDeleteWell, given the difference in size of the countries involved, I don't think any amount of militarization could have helped Danes against 1940 Wehrmacht... Norway was a much closer call with allied help involved, and it costed Germans dearly especially in term of naval power lost which was later not available for Sealion.
ReplyDeleteNB did you know:
Polish amphibious and airborne units were earmarked for invading Denmark in WarPac contingency plans? And now they are cooperating in not only AFG, but in NATO Northeast Corps with HQ in my own home city :)
Mmmm' but is not the length of the 'war' in AF directly in relation to the US being 'diverted' by the little foray into Iraq - diverting funds and attention (and troops of course) at a crucial time ? A diversion many Europeans consider to have been unjust and unnecessary ?? Should Gates be blaming his predecessor instead of recalcitrant Europeans ?? Just a thought.
ReplyDelete