Nato split over Ukraine and Georgia

[bemildred]

Source: al Jazeera



Nato foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels in an attempt to overcome their divisions about the best strategy for resuming co-operation with Russia and how to allow Georgia and Ukraine to keep working toward membership of the military alliance.

The ministers, meeting almost four months after Russia's war with Georgia, appeared certain to back away from offering the two hopefuls a fast-track to joining, despite intense lobbying from the United States.

Georgia and Ukraine are far from fulfilling Nato's membership criteria, which include political, democratic and military standards and good relations with their neighbours, as well as public support for joining.

The alliance should encourage the two former Soviet republics to carry out much needed reforms, without offering them a membership action plan (Map), the next common formal step for joining Nato.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2008/12/200812...

[Fearless]

1. It is certainly interesting as to why they are split...

And sadly obvious as well.

[bemildred]

2. Another Bushite foreign policy failure caused by being members of the dogma-based community. nt

[Starks]

3. NATO is irrelevant

It's nothing more than a shameless throwback to the Cold War.

[izquierdista]

4. NATO should be disbanded

It serves no purpose except to perpetuate old alliances.

[Fearless]

5. The UN too?

Maybe we could get to the core of the issues between nations instead of breaking apart friendships.

[izquierdista]

7. NATO is a clique

These "friends" are like the popular, rich clique at a high school. Their "friendships" consist of waving their assets in the face of perceived adversaries and daring them to "do something about it". The UN includes ALL kids at the school and makes an effort to listen to ALL members, not just the rich and popular ones.

[Romulox]

6. Why in hell would Georgia want in NATO when it's already proven that it will NOT come to the defense

of Georgia?

[bemildred]

8. Saakashvili is a tool and an idiot?

Oh yeah, we already know that.

[wuushew]

9. NATO has gone from the best example of collective defense to the worst

During the Cold War the combined military might of Western Europe was all behind the relatively small border that divided East Germany and West. If you take a look at the proposed members, the potential border is expanded by thousands of miles! Over extension of empire is always doomed to failure.

NATO exists today as a gun club and convenient tool for bending and breaking rules not legally authorized by the U.N. How else are we going to bomb the Chinese embassy in Belgrade?