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No Agreement on New NATO Head in Strasbourg
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by Tina Kells | April 3, 2009 at 04:47 pm
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NATO leaders gathered in Strasbourg to decide on the future of the alliance but were unable to agree on who would be the new head of the organisation. The lack of consensus of this crucial point is symptomatic of greater dissent within the 60 year old military alliance.
Big European powers had backed Danish PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen as secretary general and Germany's Angela Merkel urged leaders to endorse him on Friday.
But Turkey has raised objections - notably over Mr Rasmussen's handling of controversial Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad published in 2005.
The two-day summit, co-hosted by France, will continue on Saturday.
Another area of concern is the use of NATO forces. US President Barack Obama has already expressed criticism at the way NATO uses its forces and wants to see reform. He is especially concerned that European nations need to build up their own strength.
On the issue of wider defence, Mr Obama said: "We would like to see Europe have much more robust capabilities."
He added: "We're looking to be partners with Europe, and the more capable they are defensively, the more we can act in concert on the shared challenges we face."
Mr Obama told an audience in Strasbourg that the US and Europe had allowed the alliance to drift in recent years.
He said the US had been "arrogant" and "dismissive" towards its allies, while there was "insidious" anti-Americanism in Europe. He said these attitudes had to change.
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at 17:14 on April 3rd, 2009
Some issues come to mind:
Sally McNamara from the Heritage Foundation thinks that President Obama should continue to support America's commitment to NATO. The trouble with this support is, will the Europeans be willing to commit and to contribute their shares?
France is spending most of its military force to maintain and protect its investments and holdings in Africa to do anything in Afghanistan.