The NATO Citizen
2004-09-30 13:05:31 UTC
Air patrols threaten to bring Cold War back to Eastern Europe.
By ESLaPorte
Thu, Sep 30 2004
http://www.pronato.com/commentary/index.htm
Until 2006, our NATO Alliance will provide "air cover" for the border
between the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The nations
of Belgium and Denmark first participated in this pointless, Cold War
action. Now, the UK is providing more fighter jets to this dumb, Cold War
action. And under this Cold War plan, Britain will be followed by Norway,
the Netherlands, Germany, the United States and Poland in providing the
cover. What a pointless waste of needed assets for our Alliance's new
missions for counterterrorism! What a wasted opportunity to get the Baltic
nations and Russia together in a positive spirit of cross-border
cooperation!
Prior to the Prague Summit in November 2001, many of us saw this coming.
First, the statements of the leaders of the Baltics, mainly Latvia, indicate
that they view their membership in out NATO Alliance in purely Cold War
terms. Statements from Baltic leaders indicate that they seriously believe
that that Cold War is still going on - and that they have somehow "switched
sides." Many of the statements from the leaders of Latvia were indicative
that the Cold War paranoia still healthy and thriving in the Baltics. While
our NATO Alliance and Allied nations state that the Cold War is over - it
has not ended for the Baltic nations.
The psychological Cold War continues in the minds of the leaders of
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The very statements of these Baltic leaders
indicated that these leaders believe that our NATO is "anti-Russian" and
this is not only wrong, but indicates that these leaders have the wrong
attitude and intentions with their NATO membership.
There are more positive and constructive ways to deal with the Cold War
phobias and paranoia of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. For one, the promise
after the Cold War ended was that NO lines of East -West hostility were to
redrawn over the map of Europe. Border security on that border can be
achieved without fighter jets, which our Alliance could use in more
productive missions. The security of the Baltic-Russian border should be an
opportunity to get the Baltic nations and Russia together in a spirit of
cooperation and friendship. Second, our Alliance should be working with the
leaders of especially Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to end the psychological
Cold War and the Cold War phobias of these leaders.
Both the NAC and the Russia-NATO Council should be used as a forum to
address anti-Russian fears and misconceptions. Part of the program for
Baltic NATO members should be an understanding that a. the Cold War is over;
and b. our NATO is not an anti-Russian alliance; c. Russia can and will
someday be a member of our NATO Alliance. Education and understanding of the
North Atlantic Treaty, what our Treaty really means and the true meaning of
association with the North Atlantic Treaty should be given to Baltic
leaders. The truth is that a NATO information office, which there is one in
Moscow, should actually be set up in the Baltic nations. This office could,
as the one does in Russia, explain to Baltic people that the Cold War is
over and that our NATO is not an anti-Russian alliance!
Unless we get Baltic nation leaders to understand that the Cold War is over
and that association with the North Atlantic Treaty is not an anti-Russian
association, then the Cold War could very well re-fire along the
Baltic-Russian border. These air patrols are the most DUMB thing that our
Alliance has undertaken - and they indicate that there is nothing be done on
the part of our Alliance to end the Cold War in the minds of Baltic nation
leaders. For the Cold War to end once-and-for-all, no actions that appear
to be anti-Russian. First - these air patrols should stop!
--
By ESLaPorte
Thu, Sep 30 2004
http://www.pronato.com/commentary/index.htm
Until 2006, our NATO Alliance will provide "air cover" for the border
between the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The nations
of Belgium and Denmark first participated in this pointless, Cold War
action. Now, the UK is providing more fighter jets to this dumb, Cold War
action. And under this Cold War plan, Britain will be followed by Norway,
the Netherlands, Germany, the United States and Poland in providing the
cover. What a pointless waste of needed assets for our Alliance's new
missions for counterterrorism! What a wasted opportunity to get the Baltic
nations and Russia together in a positive spirit of cross-border
cooperation!
Prior to the Prague Summit in November 2001, many of us saw this coming.
First, the statements of the leaders of the Baltics, mainly Latvia, indicate
that they view their membership in out NATO Alliance in purely Cold War
terms. Statements from Baltic leaders indicate that they seriously believe
that that Cold War is still going on - and that they have somehow "switched
sides." Many of the statements from the leaders of Latvia were indicative
that the Cold War paranoia still healthy and thriving in the Baltics. While
our NATO Alliance and Allied nations state that the Cold War is over - it
has not ended for the Baltic nations.
The psychological Cold War continues in the minds of the leaders of
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The very statements of these Baltic leaders
indicated that these leaders believe that our NATO is "anti-Russian" and
this is not only wrong, but indicates that these leaders have the wrong
attitude and intentions with their NATO membership.
There are more positive and constructive ways to deal with the Cold War
phobias and paranoia of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. For one, the promise
after the Cold War ended was that NO lines of East -West hostility were to
redrawn over the map of Europe. Border security on that border can be
achieved without fighter jets, which our Alliance could use in more
productive missions. The security of the Baltic-Russian border should be an
opportunity to get the Baltic nations and Russia together in a spirit of
cooperation and friendship. Second, our Alliance should be working with the
leaders of especially Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to end the psychological
Cold War and the Cold War phobias of these leaders.
Both the NAC and the Russia-NATO Council should be used as a forum to
address anti-Russian fears and misconceptions. Part of the program for
Baltic NATO members should be an understanding that a. the Cold War is over;
and b. our NATO is not an anti-Russian alliance; c. Russia can and will
someday be a member of our NATO Alliance. Education and understanding of the
North Atlantic Treaty, what our Treaty really means and the true meaning of
association with the North Atlantic Treaty should be given to Baltic
leaders. The truth is that a NATO information office, which there is one in
Moscow, should actually be set up in the Baltic nations. This office could,
as the one does in Russia, explain to Baltic people that the Cold War is
over and that our NATO is not an anti-Russian alliance!
Unless we get Baltic nation leaders to understand that the Cold War is over
and that association with the North Atlantic Treaty is not an anti-Russian
association, then the Cold War could very well re-fire along the
Baltic-Russian border. These air patrols are the most DUMB thing that our
Alliance has undertaken - and they indicate that there is nothing be done on
the part of our Alliance to end the Cold War in the minds of Baltic nation
leaders. For the Cold War to end once-and-for-all, no actions that appear
to be anti-Russian. First - these air patrols should stop!
--