From Kaplan's article in the Times:

"Critics complain that it has become an unequal, two-tiered alliance, with the troops of the United States, Britain, Canada and Holland taking the combat role while Germany, Italy, Spain and other members take refuge in the safe areas, refusing to put their soldiers in danger."

This seems like a very valid point to me.

Kaplan goes on to point out that:

"In the post-cold-war world, individual NATO members can’t be expected to automatically take part in missions outside the alliance’s traditional European sphere. Participation will be contingent on specific circumstances. And that will lead to an increasingly stratified alliance."

That's another valid point.

However, my question is: when will the nations who refuse to fight in Afghanistan ever fight?

It seems to me that this particular call for realistic expectations is also a call for American soldiers to fight and die for Europeans who would not do the same for us -- ever.

And yet both you and Kaplan accept this as a good deal for the US. I'd be very interested in knowing why. I just don't understand the reasoning here at all.

P.S. I always read and enjoy your posts.

well, that's nice in theory, Mr. Clemons, but I want a Democrat to be in office next year. I have a fiance suffering from MS, and we can't afford to wait for another 4-8 years while the best minds and the best laboratories are sidelined during that time unable to research stem cells.

So, while I appreciate the esoterical love of "democracy" in theory, the results of these elections have very very real effects on many of us. I will give up a little bit of wonder felt by the rest o fthe world for a Democrat in office.

Sameer,

After reading Rumsfeld's and Kaplan's pieces I'm mystified that anyone would place any credence in their viewpoints. They both approach the future with no regrets; as if the lunatic past six years didn't occur.

The arrogance of tone and ignorance of viewpoints other than their own is breathtaking. Your endorsing and speculation based on the premises that they posit does not speak highly for you.

While I can't speak to all the nation's objections to expanding their Afghan contingent, I can offer a few facts for Germany's objection. (1) The coalition govt between the CDU and SPD woSameer,

After reading Rumsfeld's and Kaplan's pieces I'm mystified that anyone would place any credence in their viewpoints. They both approach the future with no regrets; as if the lunatic past six years didn't occur.

The arrogance of tone and ignorance of viewpoints other than their own is breathtaking. Your endorsing and speculation based on the premises that they posit does not speak highly for you.

While I can't speak to all the nation's objections to expanding their Afghan contingent, I can offer a few facts for Germany's objection. (1) The coalition govt between the CDU and SPD uld very likely collapse if Merkel toke any action to put more troops into Afghanistan. (2) More importantly I think both the CDU and the SPD fundamentally disagree with the US approach with bombing, demonization of the Taliban and limited development aid.

It should be noted that the Taliban played a huge role in ending the brutalization of the country by the warlords that toke over after the USSR left and played a positive role before becoming religious nutcase autocrats. Al Qaeda should be hunted down but almost all Taliban should be rehabilitated.

You can take your arrogant approach if you want, but it will be vigorously ignored.

talking of nato expansion who can tell me what's going offer the macedonian match. to put fire in balcans or what?
last few months am watching greece as a nation been intimidated and clobbered by bush goverment regarding the name of 'macedonia' backing-up also that nation(?) in provoking greece .
in few words what usa wants is greece to accept that the region of skopia is the actual macedonia and the slavs living there are macedonians.
for the history bush goverment purposedly missing that
1/ the name of skopia region until 1945 it was vardaska (can see that on stamps and maps),
which tito changed by that time as macedonia having in mind future domination
of the area and approach to the aegean sea.
2/ during the 2nd ww, skopians & bulgarians hitler allies having same thing in their
minds asked Germans as reward to conquer macedonia , which hitler denied .
3/ macedonians language since and before christ was greek not slavish.

the question is ,
1/ bush goverment doesn't know history,
2/ they don't respect what hitler respected or
3/ they are misleaded.

guys who are pulling the strings orchestrating this crime turning a whole nation (greece)against usa and rising flags of war in Balcans

-victoria nulant , usa abassador in nato , jewish origin
-robert kagan , husband of victoria nulant , jewish origin , head of german marshall fund
supporting by all and any means this crime , training and guiding Skopians.
-daniel freed , the diplomat with many tasks, jewish origin, architect of skopia recognition
as macedonia by bush goverment .

what a coicedence all of them are of Jewish origin .
But also henry kissinger is of Jewish origin and persona non grata for many crimes
against greece . he is the man who tried cut greece in slices , and he is the man who
said if you want blot out greece deprave them from their history and ethics .

nothing to insinuate but hope some people in bush goverment will open their eyes and stop
such an atrocity unless they still believe best policy to govern is to cut nations in slices or
get them on war.
seven years of junta in greece because of usa are not very far and not forgotten.
costas