Swingeing Monkey
Presumably you mean Kosovo (NATO does not take action against a legal persona)? In what respect? Converstion of continental armies from territorial defence to exped ops and CRC (which has required changes to Constitutions, amongst other things)? Who else was going to stop the depredations of Milosovec? (Read Britain's Unfinest Hour by Brendan Simms - chilling). Moreover, if it wasn't for the rapid intervention in mid 2001 by NATO in FYROM (albeit led by the UK) on OP AMBER FOX, FYROM would (imi) would have inexorably tumbled into internecine strife.
12 Sep 2001 Art V was invoked by the NAC; OP EAGLE ASSIST was launched and quietly, but very effectively, OP ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR got underway. The latter operation is on-going and has been an extemely effective political-military tool of regional engagment (if one likes that sort of thing!) and the mission has been expanded. As you are no doubt aware, NATO offered assistance in re Afghanistan immediately after 11 Sep 01; it was stoutly rejected by the neocon administration in Washington. However, NATO has persisted, indeed the mandate has been extended to include Kabul and 2 Provincial Reconstruction Teams. By the way, a total of 35 NNTCNs have participated in Balkans, Med and Afghan ops; unparalleled security cooperation, which would have been unlikely if it was simply a coalition lead by a capitalist hegemon.
Last edited by Cambridge Crash; 16th Feb 2005 at 09:31.