Any of you people across the pond....

[Expertise]

...care to explain to me why the EU needs to set up a Rapid Reaction Corps?

What the hell is NATO for?

What neurosurgeon came up with this little gem and why does France (as usual) think they are first among equals in the scheme of things.

Of course they (France) do have a more vested interest than Madeleine Albright who feels entitled to try and dictate to the EU what it should be doing.Can Clinton and his cohorts get gone fast enough?

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Perhaps becasue NATO isn't all that rapid. I takes days to get American carriers from one hot spot to another, and forces only act after long deliberations. Perhaps a new, smaller, faster force is called for in certain brush fire situations like terrotist threats or limited nuclear warfare. Kind of like how the Army needs the Marines.

 

[Cyan BloodsBane]

But

I wonder if anyone here nows that NATO was first set up by Canada...

 

[Closet Desire]

Well...

As an American living on this side of the pond more inclined to say "why not?" I served a decade in the sixth fleet which goes to say that we were up to our armpits in NATO. There are several logical reasons that come to mind.

First, NATO is and always has been geared up to oppose a massive armed confrontation against the "evil empire" as Ronnie so eloquently put it. It is relatively slow to deploy and, of course, the US comprises the bulk of it. Probably not a politic way to handle certain events on the Euro continent. It's name says it all...North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Second, don't you think Europe, as it moves toward a more homogenous community might be more comfortable with a small force that doesn't include a nation located several thousands of miles away? It sounds reasonable to me to create a multi-national force that is more flexible than NATO and won't step on as many toes if a show of force is necessary.

Well, I could go on, but sometimes Europe does see fit to carry on its business without the oversight of the US.

 

[Expertise]

What they are proposing Dixon is a 60,000 person corps. Deployable in 6 months (from a deployment order, not from now) for missions of up to 1 year in duration.

Hardly a quick reaction force or "Ready Brigade". It seems ridiculous to me since the American forces committed to Nato are not integrated in to the command strucure in a way that would weaken any "European" commands (with the exception of NATO as a whole) with their absence.

Very strange that they feel that they need commitments outside of NATO. A little disconcerting too.

But Madeleine Albright will straighten it all out, she's excellent (Sarcasm in an extreme) the little fucking gargoyle.

 

[Andra_Jenny]

It is about time they did something to clean up their own messes and police their own backyard so our boys and girls can do tough duty at bases in Florida, Hawaii...

 

[Gaucho]

But Madeleine Albright will straighten it all out, she's excellent (Sarcasm in an extreme) the little fucking gargoyle.

Not for much longer, thank Christ!

Or the Supreme Court, take your pick.

 

[Expertise]

Maybe they could make her ambassador to Rwanda as a going away present.

She is well and truly loved by those who went through that fucking nightmare.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[Expertise]

They are CB. Its just that there are certain missions better suited to the marines.

Thus the saying "the few, the proud, the dead on the beach". Your marines do amphibious and littoral warfare much better than the US Army.

 

[Cyan BloodsBane]

I wonder if there mascot is BobToad...?

 

[Bonnie Wee Lassie]

Re: But

I wonder if anyone here nows that NATO was first set up by Canada...

No I didn't know that! We Canadians tend to focus on love not war...how else would we keep warm?

 

[Expertise]

Rum Bonnie...... lots and lots of rum.

 

[Bonnie Wee Lassie]

No don't need the rum honey just warmth of another person. LOL But the rum does help.