El Nuevo Conquistadors De La Mundo: Parte Una

El Nuevo Conquistadors De La Mundo: Parte Una

The New Conquerors of the World: Part 1

Note: This article was originally published 10/9/07 at Strategic Studies Group site, then re-published at Zurich's International Relations and Security Network site the next day.

The Main Titles and the sub-headlines are the only difference between the Energy Publisher and IRSN sites.

Towards A New Strategic Concept For NATO - Although it is somewhat hard to believe, there is no definition for what a Strategic Concept actually is, what it should contain or what its scope should be", from Energy Publisher 11/8/07,

Prospects For A New Strategic Concept For NATO - The current debate over a new Strategic Concept for NATO highlights the struggle over the organization's future path", from IRSN 10/10/07.

A Spanish Glimpse at The 2009 Strategic Concept for NATO

Towards A New Strategic Concept For NATO

by Rafael L. Bardaji,
from the Madrid based Think Tank Grupo de Estudios Estratégicos / Strategic Studies Group.
Published at Energy Publisher

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Brief Summary:

NATO Strategic Concepts are really not defined. Operations and political agendas are only made known. Dialogue and cooperation changed concepts of “enemy to challenges and threats to risks”. Imposing peace through force became widely known through the Strategic Concept of 99’ after the Balkans. “Providing insurance against the unknown” justified NATO’s existence after the Cold War in 91’.

The Strategic Concept of 99’ brought NATO’s theory into practice. Germany’s Merkel and NATO’s Schefer continues to promote NATO’s 2009 concept because of a radically changing world justifies actions and relevance, a need for a new vision and anticipating the future should set tasks that will withstand the test of time.

Expect the Concept for 2009 to say a lot. NATO’s continued growth will be larger. NATO is progressing towards non-benign operations. NATO members will work as a block. “Civilian Forces” will play a role. “The Alliance For Freedom” of 2005 can best summarize NATO today: At war against Islamic Radicalism, but vague on missions in progress, collective defense and attacks made by sub-state groups.

NATO continues to carry out counter-terrorism surveillance. Cooperation with Russia is dissipating at a rapid and alarming rate, which requires new never before collective policies, look at “Energy Security” as one issue. The transformation into “new things” is necessary.

The creation of a new consensus is of the up most importance. The rifts between the U.S. and European military interventions are events of contention. There are deeper forces at work in regards to these heightened tensions among the Allies. 9/11 caused the alliance to address the same issue but implement opposite responses. The EU looks at the war on terror as illegitimate and the U.S. looks at the EU as weak militarily. Do not count on a new U.S. President in 2009 to resolve this issue. Under France's current conditions for re-incorporation into NATO, it will not occur.

The EU is “Iron and Clay” the sum of the weaknesses of all its members. The U.S. and the French are not optimistic in regards to the NATO Summit of 2009 with its unveiling of a “New Strategic Concept”. The U.S wants NATO to be a vehicle of action. France wants a joint defense force for Europe. NATO will more than likely draft a marginal concept to suit its doubters.

Afghanistan is the “ACID TEST” whatever the outcome. NATO must transform itself THERE as it carries out its mission. “Collective Unity” will be defined in Afghanistan. IF A 9-11 EVENT OCCURS IN AFGHANISTAN provisions of Article 5 will be implemented. “Collective Defense” cannot end in failure in Afghanistan.

Therefore, expect a new marginal concept to address the rift of its allies and emphasis on greater action. A new future view. NATO cannot continue to perform isolated operations with no goal. Spain and Partido Popular wants a new concept that is feasible and achieves goals such as protecting our territory, unified talks regarding security matters that fall outside NATO's sphere of action like “immigration flows” and attention to North Africa.

Elaborations of the new concept will begin by Spring 2008, though, if Zapatero wins our election we cannot be active in contributing, but if Partido Popular wins we can bring in new ideas.

Warning! The deadline for 2009 may be too late to formulate the new strategic concept due to the American Presidential elections. “This would be a veritable race against the clock”