17-02-2003 04:12									#1
	NATO Breaks Monthlong Impasse on Iraq Remove this text

quote: NATO Breaks Monthlong Impasse on Iraq By PAUL GEITNER : Associated Press Writer Feb 16, 2003 : 6:05 pm ET BRUSSELS, Belgium -- NATO, in the midst of its biggest rift since the Cold War, broke a monthlong stalemate Sunday over defensive actions in case of war in Iraq, reaffirming alliance solidarity while supporting U.N. efforts for a peaceful solution. "Alliance solidarity has prevailed," NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson said. "We have been able collectively to overcome the impasse." After France was shut out of the room, two other holdouts -- Germany and Belgium -- dropped their objections to starting the planning for Turkey's defense immediately, NATO officials said. Belgium insisted at the last minute on linking any eventual NATO deployment to developments at the U.N. Security Council. But the final statement says: "We continue to support efforts in the United Nations to find a peaceful solution to the crisis." NATO diplomats said the United States and other allies objected in principle to tying alliance decision-making to any other organization. For the past month, Belgium, France and Germany blocked a NATO decision to begin planning to help defend Turkey -- the only NATO ally bordering Iraq -- against any potential reprisals for a U.S. attack. They argued that such a move was premature and would undermine U.N. efforts to avoid a war. NATO, trying to end the stalemate, put the issue Sunday to its Defense Planning Committee, which excludes France. Paris left NATO's military command structure in the late 1960s and participates only in political consultations. The committee was used ahead of the 1991 war against Iraq to approve aid for Turkey. But NATO has sought to limit its use since the end of the Cold War in a spirit of rapprochement with Paris. Some progress was made after "very intensive negotiations," a NATO official said, adding that the idea of starting planning was now "uncontested." The United States proposed a month ago that the alliance consider sending early-warning AWACS aircraft, missile defenses and anti-biochemical units to Turkey. But after France, Germany and Belgium blocked that planning for three weeks, Turkey on Feb. 10 invoked NATO's mutual defense treaty, which binds the allies to talks when one feels threatened. Turkey feels especially vulnerable, especially as it considers allowing tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers to use Turkish facilities for a possible war on Iraq. The United States and its allies say denying support for Turkey's defense erodes the alliance's credibility and sends the wrong signal to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Some of the measures can be done bilaterally -- Germany has already agreed to send Patriot missiles to Turkey via the Netherlands -- but those missiles need to be linked to NATO radar networks to be effective. Germany and other countries also have promised AWACS crews, but the planes themselves are NATO assets. The monthlong dispute has driven a deep wedge into the 53-year-old alliance. It also has exacerbated tensions within Europe ahead of Monday's emergency summit of 15 European Union leaders, who are trying to reconcile their own differing policies on Iraq. Britain, Spain, Denmark and Italy have backed President Bush, while France and Germany have tried to slow what they view as his rush to war.

	17-02-2003 04:26									#2
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Now, we should wonder how much time the weasels will need to enter the axis of vassals.

	17-02-2003 04:32									#3
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quote: After France was shut out of the room, two other holdouts -- Germany and Belgium -- dropped their objections to starting the planning for Turkey's defense immediately, NATO officials said.

Man oh man thats funny. I can just see the French delegation being locked out, trying to force themaselves in but everyone on the inside bracing against the door to keep them out...

	17-02-2003 04:33									#4
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im gald NATO would get thru this, as if there was any doubt... oh yeah, there was, alot of people here thought NATO would disband over this...

	17-02-2003 04:35									#5
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i'm curious too, why was france kept out? I also want to know how much the US gave up in consessions to Germany and Belgium to bend over.

	17-02-2003 04:49									#6
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H Tower : a legal doge has been used to keep France out (France isn't a member of NATO, but only of the Atlantic Alliance, as such, its opinions are irrelevant to purely NATO decisions, i.e common tactics)

I wonder what the US gave to Germany and Belgium too. I don't think it promised much more than simply forgetting the whole incident if they keep in line from now on.

	17-02-2003 05:14									#7
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I think this whole thing was planned out by Belgium, France and Germany from the beginning. I have no idea why though

	17-02-2003 05:21									#8
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France isn't in NATO? You mean they never joined again after DeGaulle backed out of the alliance in the 1960's?

What's the Atlantic alliance?

	17-02-2003 05:46									#9
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quote: NATO, trying to end the stalemate, put the issue Sunday to its Defense Planning Committee, which excludes France. Paris left NATO's military command structure in the late 1960s and participates only in political consultations.

Read the whole article

	17-02-2003 05:55									#10
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I think their concerns were warranted, we should plan for if war happens not planning as if its a certainty. If this is what it takes to ensure that, then that's what must happen.

	17-02-2003 05:59									#11
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quote: Originally posted by H Tower France isn't in NATO? You mean they never joined again after DeGaulle backed out of the alliance in the 1960's? What's the Atlantic alliance?

France is in NATO and has been since its inception. What De Gaulle did do in the 1960s was remove French forces from the joint command structure; in other words the joint defense treaty was still valid but French soldiers would now only serve under French officers. De Gaulle said that unless he protected France's Sovereignty then France would become a puppet of the United States. Personally, I think the French military establishment was still sort of irked by the U.S. demanding to keep control of its forces in WW1 and refusing to place them under a united Allied command so they felt what was good for the goose was good for the gander.

	17-02-2003 06:03									#12
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think it was more that de Gaulle was a bit of an egotistical muppet who liked to gain all the popularity he could by annoying others*

I remember in WW2 when the british and americans had pushed the germans back from Paris and were about to enter the city, de Gaulle sneaked troops in just before the allies got there so he could take the acclaim and keep it from the rest.

	17-02-2003 06:42									#13
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Actually Eisenhower approved De Gaulle going in first because he thought it was fitting for Paris to be liberated by Franch soldiers. Of course there weren't any Germans left in the city but De Gaulle still got the acclaim.

In any event De Gaul was totally dependent upon the British and Americans for every form of supplies. Every bullet, drop of gas, and every winter coat so Eisenhower could control him quite well during the war by threatening to cut off his supplies.

	17-02-2003 06:47									#14
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quote: Originally posted by Oerdin Actually Eisenhower approved De Gaulle going in first because he thought it was fitting for Paris to be liberated by Franch soldiers. Of course there weren't any Germans left in the city but De Gaulle still got the acclaim. In any event De Gaul was totally dependent upon the British and Americans for every form of supplies. Every bullet, drop of gas, and every winter coat so Eisenhower could control him quite well during the war by threatening to cut off his supplies.

Eisenhower for all his talents and achievements as Surpreme Allied Commander in WW2 was a bit naive indeed politically.

	17-02-2003 06:48									#15
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He didn't become a politician until after the war.

	17-02-2003 06:50									#16
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I didn't say he did but decisions, that had a political slant, he made during the war came back to bite him.