Comments on: Whose war is this, anyway? http://politicsandpress.com/2008/whose-war-is-this-anyway/ The interaction of the press and politics; public diplomacy, and daily absurdities. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:52:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: jeff http://politicsandpress.com/2008/whose-war-is-this-anyway/#comment-2246 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:40:05 +0000 http://politicsandpress.com/2008/whose-war-is-this-anyway/#comment-2246 Bob and Doug have it right and unfortunately this is a repeat of an old story. The Balkan conflicts of the early 90s was a precursor in that European countries, faced with the likelihood of a dangerous ethnic conflict on its own continent, refused to intervene, at least partly due to lack of political will. At international conferences during that period the theme was frequently one of the U.S. urging Europeans to intervene before the situation deteriorated, and Europeans finding reasons to refuse. End of the day, the U.S. had to step into the situation with its own military force while much of Europe stayed home. This in spite of it being largely a European issue and European threat. Probably Secretary Gates is correct to link some European resistance to active, risk-taking in Afghanistan with European disgust with America's Iraq folly. But in the end NATO will only work with some semblance of equality of risk and investment. Bob and Doug have it right and unfortunately this is a repeat of an old story. The Balkan conflicts of the early 90s was a precursor in that European countries, faced with the likelihood of a dangerous ethnic conflict on its own continent, refused to intervene, at least partly due to lack of political will. At international conferences during that period the theme was frequently one of the U.S. urging Europeans to intervene before the situation deteriorated, and Europeans finding reasons to refuse. End of the day, the U.S. had to step into the situation with its own military force while much of Europe stayed home. This in spite of it being largely a European issue and European threat.

Probably Secretary Gates is correct to link some European resistance to active, risk-taking in Afghanistan with European disgust with America’s Iraq folly. But in the end NATO will only work with some semblance of equality of risk and investment.

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