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NATO spreads


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Slovakia has today became a part of NATO, alongside with Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Bulgary. This means NATO has attained majority of Black Sea and Baltic coast, centroeuropean aerospace and even three former soviet republics. So, we're finally in. Who thinks it has a reason to be part of that alliance, feel free to comment.

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I totally agree with you. USA is wanting to let NATO live because it is the only international organization they control. Furthermore, it is an aim for eastern countries (like Poland, romania,...) 'cause it is a means for them to cut links with UssR. It is understandable. But, for USA, it is not a means to help those countries. For instance, Poland was promised to receive a part of the reconstruction market in Iraq if they come with USA. Now, they have nothing.

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NATO needed a justification of its existence after the Cold War. A turnaround happened when it was given a justification by going in Kosovo (where to attack meant more deaths, not less: thus humanitarian goals are a bit discredited*). Now, after this mutation, it looks like an influence device where many wish to get their share or be kept out. Some sort of Landsraad on some aspects (only SOME aspects, of course).

*If you do not believe me on this, look at what are your reasons, and know to which extent you are sure of yourself: it's an evidence, it's unsure, don't know... [hide]My source is a Pentagon official before the attack. If you were sure of your shot, then you know a bit more how secure your "sure shots" are ;)[/hide]

So NATO seems like a strategical asset, and we see that some are getting closer to the US, by agreement or contraint under consequences.

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I think that no more countries should join NATO. North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It should be restriced to members who border with the north atlantic only, due to its name.

and we must now remove the ties to the USSR. The USSR was a great empire, which I would want to come again ;D

You weren't living there, so be quiet about it.

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The NATO is a relic of the Cold War and should be abolished rather then expanded.

Totally.  I think NATO is a bad idea.  And like was mentioned, this ERDF (iirc that was the name, European Rapid Defence Force?) will stand as a direct alternative, if it ever gets off the ground, although I have my doubts about that too.  Anyway NATO membership is a big debate in Finland where about two-thirds don't want to join, but the politicians are a little closer split and of course they make the decisions.

You weren't living there, so be quiet about it.

Yes, I have a lot of friends from Czech Republic and some from Slovakia, and I hear things about those times... I don't think there should be a dominating organisation with that sort of military strength coupled with an imperialistic streak, be it USSR (RIP) or USA.  I think multilateral organisations like the UN are a better choice, and having a ERDF made up of bits of all the European countries (and others?) would help to stop any single country doing something silly, whether by design or by accident.

Of course, there's still the old oppositions within Europe and between EU/USA to contend with but, if France and Germany can forget their recent pasts and work together, why can't the rest of us?

"The only difference between a NUclear war and an UNclear war is the way you use the UN" ;)

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For me NATO means no more political independance. That is EU too. I want my country to be independant, not crowding toghether with all the nuts (politically talking).

Why didn't Switzerland join? Why didn't Austria join? Why didn't Sweden join? Why didn't FInland join? Well, those countires have a healthy political class that knows to preserve their rights.

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"The purpose of NATO is to... err... be an alliance of countries which are... uh, allied... and who wish to ensure peace in the region of... ummmm... wherever peace is necessary..."

That's how it sounds to me at the moment. NATO is a relic of the Cold War, desperately trying to find an excuse for its own existence - and failing miserabely at it.

What exactly is the purpose of NATO? To be an alliance of what countries? (clearly the "North Atlantic" label is obsolete) To fight against what enemy? To preserve what kind of peace in what region?

NATO isn't even synonimous with American hegemony any more, since it includes America's new European rivals. It seems that the only common interest of NATO countries these days is to pretend that they're all one big happy family, when everyone knows they're not.

Over here in Eastern Europe, our politicians' infatuation with NATO is downright pathetic. Everyone is so happy that we finally joined NATO, but nobody seems to know exactly what is there to be so happy about. How exactly is a military alliance going to improve anything in regards to our social and economic problems? And for what purpose did we join NATO? The only answer our government gives to these questions can be summed up as "We joined NATO because NATO is cool".

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