Robert Gates on NATO
 

It is pretty pathetic that France and the UK, permanent members of the Security Council, can barely sustain a combined bombing campaign against a North African dictatorship.

FWIW, I think Russia and China would do an even worse job.

Russia and China aren't nearly as close to North Africa as the Brits and French are.

Georgia? That would be like a French invasion of Belgium. They'd have no problem with that.

Horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae.

The US defence secretary, Robert Gates, has delivered a blistering attack on European defence complacency, declaring that Nato has become a "two-tiered" alliance of those willing to wage war and those only interested in "talking" and peacekeeping. It's a sad indictment of the US when they're whining that no one else is "willing" to wage war and is more interested in peacekeeping.

I'd say this thread backfired from the very first quote, to anyone reasonable.

BTW, remind me which countries are not involved with the Libya actions right now?

And the shots at Europe from a country that couldn't defeat North Vietnam, took 10 years to kill a hermit, and still struggles in Iraq is amusing considering the difference in scale of the militaries.

Why didn't the US occupy North Vietnam? I've never understood that.

18 consecutive years of Stanley cup winning and counting http://www.discussworldissues.com/im...ons/icon14.gif

Canadian spies winning the cup still counts for Canada.

We import a lot of things.

deja vu?

Cort Haus http://www.discussworldissues.com/im...ons/icon14.gif http://www.discussworldissues.com/im...ons/icon14.gif

QFT

When the war is instigated by our allies, it'd be real nice to see them fight it without needing to bring us into it.

What Drake said. We appreciate the help we've been given, but we're capable of fighting our wars without allied assistance. Britain and France can't make that claim.

Pull the plug. http://www.discussworldissues.com/im...ons/icon14.gif

What did NATO ever do for us? Disband it already see if I care.

Every developed country can mount a credible defense.
That few are able to conduct interventions abroad is a damn
good thing.

You think a nuclear deterrent isn't credible?

Or are you referring to the "any developed country" bit?