The NATO myth is that they are a group of 28 independent member countries, united in a common defence and interest. The truth is that when push comes to shove its just the US, Canada and the UK - with occasionally the French (when it suits them) who take any action and defend the interests of the rest ....
These few countries have to spend their money, risk their citizens lives, and take the political flak from a largely brutish third world, and the equally brutish (ex) communist block. The rest cower behind these three or four countries and do nothing (often reaping economic advantages as well). Some even actively campaign to do nothing - as if this is a valid political stance, while some others such as Turkey take a 'religious' stance of saying we can't pursue regime change in Muslim countries, but are happy to urge such actions against non Muslim countries (such as asking NATO to attack 'Christian' Serbia, when 'Muslim' Bosnia was attacked).
Frankly, the campaign against Libya (called Operation Unified Protector) has proved once again that we should probably collapse NATO, then reform it as a UK / US / Canadian 'Northern Defence Alliance', and tell the rest they are on their own ...... they deserve each other.
These few countries have to spend their money, risk their citizens lives, and take the political flak from a largely brutish third world, and the equally brutish (ex) communist block. The rest cower behind these three or four countries and do nothing (often reaping economic advantages as well). Some even actively campaign to do nothing - as if this is a valid political stance, while some others such as Turkey take a 'religious' stance of saying we can't pursue regime change in Muslim countries, but are happy to urge such actions against non Muslim countries (such as asking NATO to attack 'Christian' Serbia, when 'Muslim' Bosnia was attacked).
Frankly, the campaign against Libya (called Operation Unified Protector) has proved once again that we should probably collapse NATO, then reform it as a UK / US / Canadian 'Northern Defence Alliance', and tell the rest they are on their own ...... they deserve each other.
But as that's unlikely to happen, perhaps only an large external threat will cause the alliance to reform and members to actively support it both financially and politically.
