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Vorwort

Der amerikanische Nato-Botschafter Nicholas Burns sagte, anläßlich einer Vortragsveranstaltung im Europabüro der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Brüssel, die geplante Unterstützung der Nato für die von Polen geplante Schutztruppe in einem Teil des Landes sei nur ein erster Schritt. "In den nächsten fünf bis sechs Monaten könnten wir die Nato bitten, eine größere Rolle zu übernehmen". Mit der Grundsatzentscheidung für eine Unterstützung der von Polen geführten Truppe und der bereits zuvor beschlossenen Übernahme der Führung der Internationalen Schutztruppe in Afghanistan habe die Nato deutlich gemacht, dass sie im Kampf gegen Terrorismus an vorderster Front stehe.

Die Nato prüft derzeit mit Polen, wie sie eine Schutztruppe im Irak unterstützen könnte. Entscheidungen dazu könnten noch in dieser Woche vorbereitet werden. Dabei soll es Diplomaten zufolge derzeit nur um logistische und planerische Unterstützung bei der Versorgung und Zusammenstellung der Truppe gehen. In Bündniskreisen wurde die polnische Anfrage mit der Unterstützung des Bündnisses für die von Deutschland und den Niederlanden geplante Isaf-Truppe in Afghanistan verglichen. Dort hatte die Nato auch zunächst nur logistische Hilfe geleistet, ohne selbst im Land präsent zu sein. Mittlerweile plant das Bündnis, im August die Führung von Isaf zu übernehmen. Deutschland hat eine stärkere Nato-Rolle im Irak Diplomaten zufolge stets von einem Mandat der Vereinten Nationen (UNO) abhängig gemacht.

Burns rief das Bündnis zur Geschlossenheit auf und kritisierte Deutschland, Belgien und Frankreich erneut dafür, im Februar Nato-Schutz für die Türkei vor Beginn des Irak-Kriegs verzögert zu haben. Dies habe deutlichen Schaden verursacht, sagte er. Die Nato sei als transatlantische Brücke unverzichtbar. Zugleich kritisierte er Pläne für eine von der Nato unabhängige Verteidigungspolitik der Europäischen Union. Die USA seien gegen unnötige Doppelstrukturen, bekräftigte er.

Im folgenden finden Sie den Redetext von Herrn Botschafter Burns abgedruckt.

IT IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO BE WITH YOU THIS EVENING AS PART OF THE KONRAD ADENAUER FOUNDATION'S DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES. I'D LIKE TO THANK FRANZ-JOSEF REUTER, THE FOUNDATION'S OFFICE DIRECTOR HERE IN BRUSSELS, FOR EXTENDING THIS INVITATION, AS WELL AS FOR HIS KIND WORDS OF INTRODUCTION.

I COME HERE TONIGHT AS A FRIEND OF GERMANY WHO ADMIRES YOUR CULTURE AND VALUES YOUR FRIENDSHIP WITH THE U.S. I ALSO ADMIRE YOUR DISTINGUISHED AMBASSADOR TO NATO, GEPHARDT VON MOLTKE, WHO WILL RETIRE IN A MONTH. HE IS OUR SENIOR AMBASSADOR AT NATO, AND ONE OF GERMANY’S GREATEST CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATO IN THE LAST HALF CENTURY.

KONRAD ADENAUER WAS A DEDICATED ATLANTICIST AND ONE OF THE GIANTS OF THE POST-WAR ERA. DER ALTE WAS THE ARCHITECT OF THE ASTOUNDING WEST GERMAN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY AFTER WORLD WAR II. HE HELPED SECURE WEST GERMANY’S MEMBERSHIP IN THE FORERUNNER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, AND IN 1955, BROUGHT HIS COUNTRY INTO NATO. A FOUNDING FATHER OF MODERN EUROPE, HE ALSO EMBRACED EUROPE’S ALLIANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES IN NATO AND DID NOT SEE ANY CONTRADICTION BETWEEN THE TWO. IN HIS CORE BELIEF THAT EUROPE’S FUTURE WAS BOUND UP WITH AMERICA’S, HE SERVES TODAY AS AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US WHO BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP OUR TWO CONTINENTS UNITED AT A DIFFICULT TIME.

FOR THESE REASONS, I CANNOT THINK OF A MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE THAN THE FOUNDATION THAT BEARS ADENAUER'S NAME TO DISCUSS WITH YOU THIS EVENING WHAT WE MUST DO TOGETHER AS EUROPEANS AND AMERICANS TO HEAL THE RIFT THAT OPENED BETWEEN US OVER IRAQ AND CONFRONT THE DANGERS OF A NEW AND UNPREDICTABLE ERA. IT IS TIME FOR OUR GENERATION TO SHOW THAT WE TOO, LIKE ADENAUER, WILLY BRANDT, DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, JOHN F. KENNEDY, AND THE OTHER GERMAN AND AMERICAN VISIONARIES WHO CONSTRUCTED THE POST-WAR INTERNATIONAL ORDER, CAN WORK TOGETHER TO DEFEND OUR COMMON DEMOCRATIC HERITAGE AGAINST NEW THREATS AND EXPAND THE CIRCLE OF FREEDOM AND PROSPERITY TO NEW AREAS OF THE WORLD. FORTUNATELY FOR US, THERE IS ONE ORGANIZATION THAT WAS THE STRONGEST BRIDGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC IN DECADES PAST AND CAN SERVE THAT PURPOSE IN OUR TROUBLED AND COMPLEX TIMES – THE NEW NATO.

AS SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL TOLD THE U.S. SENATE RECENTLY: "THIS GREAT ALLIANCE, WHICH HAS KEPT THE PEACE FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, IS MORE THAN A TREATY FOR COLLECTIVE DEFENSE, IT IS THE CENTRAL ORGANIZING FORCE IN A GREAT WEB OF RELATIONSHIPS THAT HOLDS NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE TOGETHER."

I AM VERY PROUD TO SERVE AS UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO THE STRONGEST ALLIANCE IN MODERN HISTORY, THE INDISPENSABLE ORGANIZATION SINCE THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. NATO HAS SERVED FOR MORE THAN FIVE DECADES AS THE KEY LINK BETWEEN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE. IT WAS OUR SHIELD IN THE COLD WAR AS DEFENDER OF THE WEST’S DEMOCRATIC VALUES, KEEPING EUROPE FREE WHEN THE SOVIET UNION THREATENED. DURING THE PAST DECADE, IT STOPPED TWO WARS IN BOSNIA AND KOSOVO AND HAS KEPT THE PEACE IN EACH EVER SINCE. NATO’S INTEREST AND EXAMPLE INSPIRED TEN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, RECENTLY FREED FROM COMMUNISM, TO SEEK TO JOIN OUR RANKS.

THE OLD NATO’S MANY HISTORIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE CLEAR FOR ALL TO SEE. BUT, IN THE WAKE OF THE SHOCKING EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, THE WORLD CHANGED AND NATO HAD TO CHANGE WITH IT. WE SET OUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO TO TRANSFORM NEARLY EVERYTHING ABOUT NATO SO THAT IT COULD HELP US MEET THE NEW AND DAUNTING THREAT OF TERRORISM AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. AT NOVEMBER’S PRAGUE SUMMIT, PRESIDENT BUSH AND THE NATO LEADERSHIP AGREED ON AN AMBITIOUS, EVEN REVOLUTIONARY, REFORM AGENDA. WE WORKED TO PIVOT THE NEW NATO FROM ITS PRIOR INWARD FOCUS ON THREATS WITHIN EUROPE TO A NEW OUTWARD SPOTLIGHT ON THE GRAVE CHALLENGES TO PEACE IN THE ARC OF COUNTRIES FROM SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA.

DESPITE THESE EFFORTS, SOME IN EUROPE AND MY OWN COUNTRY HAVE RECENTLY QUESTIONED NATO’S BASIC RELEVANCE. THEY ASK WHETHER WE REALLY NEED NATO ANY MORE, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME OF UNRIVALED U.S. DOMINANCE IN THE WORLD. LET ME RESPOND TO THOSE CRITICS. I BELIEVE WE NEED NATO MORE THAN EVER. WHILE THE MOST SERIOUS THREATS TO OUR SECURITY AND FUTURE MAY HAVE MIGRATED FROM EUROPE TO DISTANT COUNTRIES, WE STILL NEED NATO TO DO FOR OUR FUTURE WHAT IT DID BEST IN THE PAST. WE STILL NEED NATO TO BE OUR MOST STURDY BRIDGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC; TO SERVE AS THE PRINCIPAL FORUM FOR EUROPEAN-AMERICAN DISCUSSION OF THE GREAT ISSUES OF OUR DAY; TO PROVIDE FOR THE NUCLEAR AND CONVENTIONAL DEFENSE OF EUROPE; TO BE THE EU’S PARTNER IN SPREADING DEMOCRACY AND STABILITY TO THE EASTERN HALF OF THE CONTINENT; AND TO REACH OUT TO RUSSIA, UKRAINE AND THE STATES OF CENTRAL ASIA AND THE CAUCASUS TO FORM THE ONE UNITED, PEACEFUL AND STABLE EUROPE THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD IN THE LAST CENTURY AND THAT MUST BE OUR ULTIMATE AIM IN OUR OWN TIME.

WE ALSO NEED NATO TO FACE SQUARELY, THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS IN THE NEW AGE OF TERRORISM: DO WE HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO FACE THREATS TO OUR COMMON SECURITY? ARE WE PREPARED TO GO WELL OUTSIDE OF EUROPE TO DEFEND AGAINST DISTANT ADVERSARIES IN PLACES LIKE AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ?

NATO ANSWERED BOTH OF THOSE QUESTIONS IN CONVINCING FASHION IN THE LAST MONTH. NATO’S MAY 21 DECISION TO PROVIDE EXTENSIVE MILITARY SUPPORT TO THE POLISH DIVISION IN IRAQ REPRESENTS A GIANT STEP FORWARD FOR THE 54-YEAR OLD ALLIANCE. TAKEN TOGETHER WITH ITS APRIL 16 DECISION TO ASSUME COMMAND OF THE INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN, NATO IS NOW SQUARELY ON THE FRONTLINES IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR. THE U.S. ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENDORSES THIS NEW NATO EMPHASIS ON CONFRONTING THE MOST VIRULENT SECURITY THREAT OF OUR TIME -- THAT OF TERRORISM AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

NATO'S NEW ASSERTIVENESS WAS SEEN FIRST IN AFGHANISTAN. THE PRAGUE SUMMIT COMMITTED NATO TO GO WHEREVER IT IS NEEDED TO DEFEND ITS MEMBERS AGAINST THE THREATS OF TERRORISM AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC CHANGES IN NATO’S HISTORY. NATO MADE ITS DOWN PAYMENT ON THAT PROMISE AT THE START OF THE YEAR BY GIVING CRITICAL LOGISTICAL AND PLANNING SUPPORT TO GERMANY AND THE NETHERLANDS AS THEY BEGAN THEIR 6-MONTH ROTATION AS COMMANDERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE (ISAF) IN KABUL. BUT, WITH A RESURGENT AL QAIDA AND HUGE CHALLENGES TO AFGHAN STABILITY, IT WAS CLEAR THEN THAT ONE ORGANIZATION WAS NEEDED TO MAKE A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO SECURE THE PEACE IN AFGHANISTAN. NATO’S RECORD OF SUCCESS IN THE BALKANS MADE IT THE LOGICAL CHOICE.

WITH THE FULL ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT OF THE U.S. AS WELL AS GERMANY, FRANCE AND BELGIUM, NATO AGREED THAT IT WOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN THE AFGHANISTAN PEACEKEEPING OPERATION. THE ALLIANCE’S FIRST MILITARY OPERATION OUTSIDE EUROPE, NATO’S NEW LEADING ROLE IN AFGHANISTAN WILL TEST US AS NEVER BEFORE. AFGHANISTAN REMAINS IN SERIOUS NEED OF ISAF SUPPORT AS THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT KARZAI WORKS TO REBUILD THAT NATION AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF SOVIET- AND TALIBAN- LED WARFARE AND TYRANNY. THE STABILITY AND CONTINUITY PROVIDED THROUGH NATO’S OPEN-ENDED COMMITMENT TO ISAF WILL GIVE THE AFGHANS THAT CHANCE. COUPLED WITH A NEW EMPHASIS ON DEPLOYING PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAMS TO THE PROVINCES, NATO’S FORCE SHOULD PROVIDE A MEASURE OF STABILITY AND SECURITY IN THE KABUL AREA TO BUILD A WIDER, NATIONAL PEACE.

NATO NEXT ADDRESSED ITS FUTURE ROLE IN IRAQ. IF THERE WERE ANY CONCERNS THAT THE AFGHAN MISSION WOULD BE A UNIQUE ONE-TIME EVENT, THEY WERE ERASED LAST WEEK BY NATO’S DECISION TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL MILITARY SUPPORT FOR THE POLISH DIVISION IN THE IRAQ STABILIZATION FORCE. NATO WILL BE OFFERING THE POLES HELP TO ESTABLISH THEIR DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS, TO COORDINATE FORCES FROM CONTRIBUTING NATIONS, TO ENSURE PROPER COMMUNICATIONS AND TO MANAGE A DIZZYING ARRAY OF LOGISTICAL REQUIREMENTS.

JUST AS THE NATO ROLE IN AFGHANISTAN GREW FROM PROVIDING LOGISTICAL AND OTHER KINDS OF SUPPORT TO THE GERMAN AND DUTCH LEAD, IT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE TO IMAGINE THE ALLIANCE ROLE IN IRAQ EVOLVING IN A SIMILAR FASHION IN THE FUTURE. WITH THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL HAVING NOW ADOPTED RESOLUTION 1483 ENCOURAGING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE NATO TO ASSIST IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF IRAQ, THE DOOR IS WIDE OPEN TO MORE ROBUST AND ACTIVE ALLIANCE INVOLVEMENT IN THE FUTURE. THE UNITED STATES RECOGNIZES THAT LIBERATING IRAQ WAS NOT ENOUGH. AS PRESIDENT BUSH HAS SAID, WE ARE COMMITTED TO STAYING IN IRAQ AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO GIVE THE IRAQI PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO PUT IN PLACE A GOVERNMENT WILLING AND ABLE TO CARRY OUT THEIR WISHES. I BELIEVE NATO WILL BE A KEY PLAYER IN GETTING THAT JOB DONE.

WE SHOULD ALSO APPLAUD POLAND’S LEADERSHIP IN THIS EFFORT. THE POLISH ROLE IN IRAQ IS PROOF OF THE VALUE OF NATO ENLARGEMENT AND THE ABILITY OF NEW ALLIES TO CONTRIBUTE MILITARILY TO THE ALLIANCE AND TO GLOBAL SECURITY. HAVING FOUGHT SO GALLANTLY OVER THE YEARS TO RECOVER ITS OWN FREEDOM, POLAND IS NOW STEPPING OUT ONTO THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE AS A NATO LEADER TO HELP ANOTHER NATION CLAIM ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE AS A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

WHILE THE POLES ALONE DESERVE CREDIT FOR HAVING THE POLITICAL WILL TO TAKE ON THIS CRITICAL MISSION, ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS THEY CAN PLAY THE NECESSARY MILITARY ROLE IS BECAUSE OF THE REFORMS THEY INITIATED AS A NEW MEMBER OF THE NATO ALLIANCE.

POLAND’S EMERGENCE WITH THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND HUNGARY AS KEY MEMBERS OF THE ALLIANCE DEMONSTRATES JUST HOW RIGHT WE WERE TO EMBRACE ADDING NEW MEMBERS THROUGH ENLARGEMENT AS A BASIC BUILDING BLOCK FOR NATO’S FUTURE. THE U.S. SENATE’S RECENT 96-0 VOTE TO ADMIT AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN NEW COUNTRIES WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN NATO AND SHIFT OUR CENTER OF GRAVITY EASTWARD. TOGETHER WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION'S OWN ENLARGEMENT IT WILL HELP US TO FORM ONE EUROPE, EAST AND WEST. THE OLD WAY OF LOOKING AT ENLARGEMENT WAS THAT IT BURDENED NATO WITH ONE MORE COUNTRY TO DEFEND. THIS NEW, MORE MODERN ARGUMENT FOR ENLARGEMENT IS IT WILL GIVE US SEVEN NEW ALLIES WITH WHOM TO FIGHT AND KEEP THE PEACE IN EUROPE AND BEYOND.

NATO’S TRANSFORMATION TO A NEW 21ST CENTURY ALLIANCE IS THUS BUILT ON THE TWIN PILLARS OF NEW MISSIONS WELL OUTSIDE OF EUROPE, SUPPORTED BY SEVEN NEW MEMBERS. TO BE SUCCESSFUL, HOWEVER, NATO WILL NEED ONE MORE THING – MUCH GREATER EUROPEAN MILITARY CAPABILITIES TO HELP THE U.S. KEEP THE PEACE IN DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE WORLD. A NATO IN WHICH THE U.S. HAS OVER 200 STRATEGIC LIFT AIRCRAFT, BRITAIN FOUR, AND THE REST OF THE ALLIES NONE IS UNSUSTAINABLE. A NATO IN WHICH THE U.S. WILL SPEND $376 BILLION ON NATIONAL DEFENSE THIS YEAR AND OUR 18 ALLIES ONLY SPEND $140 BILLION COLLECTIVELY IS UNBALANCED. A NATO IN WHICH THE U.S., UK AND FRANCE ARE ALONE CAPABLE OF LAUNCHING EXPEDITIONARY MILITARY MISSIONS TO DISTANT BATTLEFIELDS IS UNWORKABLE. AS WE ALL FACE A GRAVE NEW THREAT TO OUR SOCIETIES FROM THE TOXIC MIX OF TERRORISM AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, WE IN NATO MUST ALL BE PREPARED MILITARILY TO MEET THAT THREAT. NO AMOUNT OF WISHFUL THINKING OR PROMISES WILL MAKE THE NEW NATO RESPONSE FORCE A REALITY. OUR EUROPEAN ALLIES MUST NOW BEGIN TO MEET THEIR COMMITMENTS TO ADDRESS RAPIDLY THE ALARMING IMBALANCES IN AIRLIFT, PRECISION-GUIDED MUNITIONS, AIR-TO-AIR REFUELING, SEALIFT AND SECURE COMMUNICATIONS. THESE ARE THE CRITICAL CORE CAPABILITIES NEEDED TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THE MODERN WORLD.

I DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE DIFFICULTIES FOR OUR ALLIES IN LIVING UP TO THEIR COMMITMENTS. FOR SOME IT WILL MEAN INVESTING ADDITIONAL SCARCE RESOURCES INTO MILITARY EQUIPMENT. FOR OTHERS, IT WILL REQUIRE MAKING POLITICALLY PAINFUL CHOICES TO RESTRUCTURE THEIR STATIC COLD WAR FORCES TO BECOME LIGHTER, MORE FLEXIBLE AND BETTER ABLE TO CARRY OUT THE KINDS OF NATO MISSIONS THAT WILL BE NECESSARY IN THE FUTURE. YET THESE ACTIONS MUST BE TAKEN QUICKLY.

THE NEED FOR CHANGE IS GREATEST IN NATO’S SECOND MOST POPULOUS COUNTRY, GERMANY, WHICH IS FALLING FAR BEHIND MOST ALLIES IN DEFENSE SPENDING AS A PERCENTAGE OF GDP AND WHICH HAS BEEN SLOW TO REFORM ITS DEFENSE SECTOR. NATO WILL NOT REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL AS LONG AS GERMANY, AND OTHER MAJOR ALLIES CONTINUE TO COMMIT LESS TO OUR COLLECTIVE DEFENSE THAN THEY SHOULD. WITHOUT THESE IMPROVED CAPABILITIES, MOST EUROPEAN NATIONS WILL NOT, IN THE FUTURE, BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE MEANINGFULLY TO MODERN MILITARY OPERATIONS, MAKING HOLLOW ANY PLANS FOR A SERIOUS EUROPEAN- AMERICAN SECURITY PARTNERSHIP.

IF EUROPEAN LEADERS CAN AGREE TO SPEND MORE ON NATIONAL DEFENSE, TO FINISH THE RADICAL OVERHAUL OF NATO’S COMMAND STRUCTURE AT OUR JUNE DEFENSE MINISTER’S MEETING, TO CREATE A NEW STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATION COMMAND IN THE U.S. NEXT MONTH, AND A NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION BATTALION, THEN WE WILL HAVE DONE MORE TO REBUILD NATO’S MILITARY CAPABILITIES THAN ANY GENERATION OF NATO LEAD ERS BEFORE US. BUT, WE NEED TO ACT AND ACT SOON.

WE ALSO NEED TO MAINTAIN THE POLITICAL UNITY WE LOST LAST FEBRUARY WHEN WE FOUGHT OVER IRAQ. IT SEEMS HARD TO BELIEVE GIVEN WHERE WE ARE TODAY, BUT AT THAT TIME THE OP-ED LEGIONS OF DOOM ALL BUT DECLARED NATO DEAD AFTER IT WAS PLUNGED INTO A MOMENT OF CRISIS WHEN DIFFERENCES OVER IRAQ CAUSED AN UNPARDONABLE DELAY IN RESPONDING TO TURKEY'S ARTICLE 4 REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE TO DETER A POTENTIAL ATTACK FROM SADDAM'S FORCES.

WHILE 16 ALLIES WERE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY TO HELP AN ALLY, GERMANY, FRANCE AND BELGIUM BLOCKED CONSENSUS FOR AN AGONIZINGLY LONG PERIOD. THEIR DELAY CREATED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NATO’S HISTORY THE PROSPECT THAT WE MIGHT NOT MEET OUR CORE COMMITMENT THAT GIVES NATO ITS BASIC CREDIBILITY – WE WILL ACT TO DEFEND OUR ALLIES. NATO DID FINALLY ACT, BUT REAL DAMAGE WAS DONE. MANY PEOPLE NEEDED TO BE REMINDED THAT, IN THE END, NATO HAD MANAGED TO LIVE UP TO ITS FUNDAMENTAL COMMITMENT TO DEFEND ITS MEMBERS AGAINST EXTERNAL THREATS.

WE NEED TO LEARN FROM THIS UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE AND VOW THAT IT WILL NEVER BE REPEATED. ONLY OUR ADVERSARIES BENEFIT FROM BREAKDOWNS IN TRANSATLANTIC SOLIDARITY. BUT KEEPING US TOGETHER IS CHALLENGING IN THIS NEW SECURITY ENVIRONMENT WHERE REAL THREATS COME FROM TERRORIST GROUPS THOUSANDS OF KILOMETERS FROM OUR BORDERS AND AFFECT INDIVIDUAL ALLIES DIFFERENTLY. THIS CAN SOMETIMES LEAD TO DIFFERENCES OF OPINION OVER HOW NATO SHOULD RESPOND. THE GOAL THEN IS TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE OUR ADAPTATION OF THE ALLIANCE TO MAKE IT SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO MEET THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE SURELY AHEAD OF US. THIS MEANS NATO NEEDS TO DO MORE NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. NATO STILL NEEDS TO DEFEND OUR TERRITORY AS IT DID DURING THE COLD WAR. IT STILL HAS TO KEEP THE PEACE IN THE EUROPEAN PERIPHERY AS IT DID IN THE 1990S SO EFFECTIVELY IN BOSNIA AND KOSOVO. AND NOW IT WILL TAKE ON NEW MISSIONS IN AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ AND BEYOND.

SOME HAVE MISINTERPRETED THIS NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY AS AN EFFORT TO TURN NATO INTO A MERE "TOOLBOX" FOR COALITIONS OF THE WILLING. THIS CHARGE DOES A GREAT DISSERVICE TO THE EFFORT TO MAKE NATO MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE SECURITY NEEDS OF ITS MEMBERS AND TO A CHANGING INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ENVIRONMENT. AS SECRETARY POWELL HAS SAID OF NATO IN FUTURE ROLES, “IN SOME INSTANCES WE WILL OPERATE AS AN ALLIANCE, IN SOME AS A MEMBER OF A COALITION OF THE WILLING. WE MAY WAGE WAR, AND WE WILL MAINTAIN THE PEACE." DURING THE COLD WAR, WE ONLY THOUGHT ABOUT NATO ACTING IN ONE WAY: AS A SOLID PHALANX OF COUNTRIES WITH ARMS LINKED ACROSS THE FULDA GAP TO DEFEND OUR HOMELAND FROM SOVIET INVASION.

IN THE 21ST CENTURY, WE NEED TO THINK OF USING NATO IN NEW AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO DEFEND PEACE. SMALL GROUPS OF ALLIES MAY SOMETIMES WORK IN COALITIONS OF THE WILLING AS WE DID IN AFGHANISTAN. IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES AS IN IRAQ, ALLIES MAY NOT LEAD THE MISSION BUT MAY END UP KEEPING THE PEACE TOGETHER WITH MOST MEMBERS PRESENT. IN STILL OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES WE MAY ALL FIGHT TOGETHER UNDER A NATO FLAG AS WE DID SO EFFECTIVELY TO END ETHNIC CLEANSING IN KOSOVO FOUR YEARS AGO. THIS MIX OF MISSIONS AND CAPABILITIES OFFERS AN HONORABLE AND EFFECTIVE BLUEPRINT FOR NATO’S FUTURE. THE OLD COLD WAR NATO THAT MANY OF OUR CRITICS YEARN FOR COULD NOT ACT FLEXIBLY ENOUGH TO MEET CHANGING THREATS IN OUR OWN TIME.

NATO'S OPERATIONS IN THE BALKANS ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF OUR NEW FLEXIBILITY. IN KOSOVO, NATO CARRIES OUT A BROAD RANGE OF ESSENTIAL PEACEKEEPING DUTIES LARGELY ON ITS OWN. IN BOSNIA, THE NATO-LED MISSION IS EVOLVING, WITH EMPHASIS ON MOVING QUICKLY TOWARDS MORE LOCAL POLICE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MAINTAINING ORDER, AND CHANGING NATO'S FORCE STRUCTURE ACCORDINGLY. IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA, NATO HAS NOW PASSED ON RESPONSIBILITY TO THE EUROPEAN UNION.

AS NATO EVOLVES, IT MUST DO SO IN FULL COOPERATION WITH A EUROPEAN UNION THAT IS ALSO ADAPTING ITSELF FOR A NEW WORLD. IN MARCH, NATO AND THE EUROPEAN UNION CONCLUDED, AFTER FOUR YEARS OF OFTEN FRUSTRATING NEGOTIATIONS, THE BERLIN-PLUS ARRANGEMENTS THAT FORMALIZE HOW THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS WILL WORK TOGETHER ON SECURITY MISSIONS. THEY ARE DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT NATO AND THE EU REMAIN PARTNERS AND NOT COMPETITORS AS BOTH BROADEN THEIR ROLES. THE HEART OF THE DEAL WAS THE EU’S AGREEMENT TO USE NATO ASSETS FOR ITS MISSIONS RATHER THAN CREATING ITS OWN HEADQUARTERS OR MILITARY PLANNING STAFF. IT PERMITS NATO TO MAKE OUR MILITARY ASSETS, SUCH AS SHAPE’s PRODIGIOUS PLANNING CAPABILITIES, AVAILABLE TO THE EU ON AN IF ASKED BASIS. IT LAYS OUT CLEAR PROCEDURES FOR HOW NATO, AS THE OVERALL LEADER IN TRANSATLANTIC SECURITY OPERATIONS, CAN ENSURE THAT THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS THE SUPPORT IT NEEDS.

WHEN THE INK WAS BARELY DRY ON THIS LANDMARK AGREEMENT, HOWEVER, THE LEADERS OF FRANCE, GERMANY, BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG CALLED LAST MONTH FOR A NEW EUROPEAN MILITARY HEADQUARTERS, SEPARATE FROM NATO, A NEW MUTUAL DEFENSE CLAUSE AND A EUROPEAN PLANNING CELL. ALL THESE STEPS WOULD NEEDLESSLY DUPLICATE WHAT WE HAVE BUILT TOGETHER IN NATO. THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY CHANGE THE DEAL FROM ONE OF NATO-EU COOPERATION TO ONE OF COMPETITION AND COSTLY OVERLAP. THE U.S. HOPES THIS CALL FOR A NEW BRAND OF EUROPEAN UNILATERALISM WILL BE REPUDIATED BY THE MAJORITY OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES THAT WANT TO PRESERVE NATO AS THE PREEMINENT SECURITY ORGANIZATION ON THE CONTINENT.

AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, ANOTHER GREAT CHALLENGE WILL BE TO MAINTAIN OUR EFFECTIVENESS IN DECISION-MAKING. IN THE 21ST CENTURY, NOT EVERY ALLY HAS TO BE IN EVERY NATO-LED OR NATO-SUPPORTED MISSION FOR THE ALLIANCE TO FULFILL ITS POTENTIAL. BUT EVERY ALLY MUST SUPPORT THE USE OF NATO SERVICES OR, AT LEAST, CONSENT TO THEIR USE. THIS PRESERVES THE CONSENSUS PRINCIPLE, WHICH IS NATO’S GREATEST STRENGTH, AND ENSURES THE TOOLBOX CAN’T BE EMPTIED OR ABUSED.

IN CREATING OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY IN THE ALLIANCE, ALL ALLIES MUST ALSO BE FLEXIBLE IN THEIR APPROACH TO THE POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. I AM NOT ARGUING FOR AN END TO THE CONSENSUS DECISION-MAKING PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN NATO’S SINCE 1949. CONSENSUS IS THE HEART OF NATO. I CANNOT ENVISION A TIME, WHEN SOME FORM OF QUALIFIED MAJORITY VOTING WOULD BE IN PLACE. BUT AS NATO’S SECURITY BURDENS GROW AROUND THE GLOBE, ALLIES SHOULD THINK HARD BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO BLOCK A CONSENSUS- BASED DECISION TO GIVE OTHERS THE SUPPORT OR SECURITY THEY NEED.

LUCKILY, NATO HAS THE ABILITY TO OFFER FLEXIBILITY HERE TOO. FOR EXAMPLE, NATO HAS A LONG AND PROUD “FOOTNOTE” TRADITION WHEREBY INDIVIDUAL ALLIES WOULD NOT BLOCK A DECISION FOR ALLIANCE ACTION, BUT WOULD REGISTER THEIR INDIVIDUAL COUNTRY’S DECISION TO OPT-OUT OF PARTICIPATING. THE DANISH GOVERNMENT USED SUCH AN EXCEPTION THROUGHOUT THE COLD WAR TO PREVENT THEIR NATIONAL POLICIES ON NUCLEAR ISSUES FROM BLOCKING NECESSARY NATO DECISIONS. THE GREEK GOVERNMENT TOOK A SIMILAR APPROACH IN KOSOVO, PERMITTING THE ALLIANCE TO ACT TO STOP ETHNIC CLEANSING AND RESTORE ORDER, WHILE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT GREECE WOULD STAY ON THE SIDELINES.

MAKING SUCH A SYSTEM WORK REQUIRES TRUST, UNDERSTANDING AND GOOD WILL ON THE PART OF EVERYONE INVOLVED. IN GENERAL, SUCH MUTUAL CONFIDENCE EXISTS AT NATO.

THERE ARE, HOWEVER, UNILATERALISTS WHO DON'T WANT NATO TO SUCCEED. SOME AMERICANS, ON THE ONE HAND, ARGUE THAT THE U.S. IS SO POWERFUL IN THE WORLD THAT IT NO LONGER NEEDS ALLIES AND CAN AFFORD TO GO IT ALONE IN THE WORLD. THEY TRY TO MAKE A VIRTUE OUT OF WHAT SHOULD ONLY EVER BE A LAST RESORT, EVEN IN THE DEFENSE OF OUR VITAL INTERESTS. THEIR POSITION IS A RECIPE FOR FAILURE AND IT HAS BEEN FIRMLY REJECTED BY MY GOVERNMENT.

A FEW EUROPEANS, ON THE OTHER HAND, THINK THEY CAN CREATE A CONTINENTAL FOREIGN POLICY AND DEFENSE POLICY DESIGNED TO CHECK U.S. POWER. THEY CALL FOR EUROPEAN-ONLY MILITARY HEADQUARTERS THAT COST PRECIOUS RESOURCES THAT ARE BETTER SPENT ON NEW EUROPEAN MILITARY CAPABILITIES. THEIR VISION OF EUROPE AS A COUNTERVAILING FORCE TO THE U.S. IS ONE THAT WOULD SHAKE THE FOUNDATIONS OF TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS, AND THE TRUST AND LOYALTY THAT HAVE BEEN AT THE HEART OF EUROPEAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

BOTH THE U.S. AND EUROPEAN UNILATERALISTS PRESENT US WITH A FALSE CHOICE: TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE INTERDEPENDENCE THAT REQUIRES, OR TO WORK ALONE. THE TRUTH IS THAT IN TODAY’S WORLD AND FOR THE 54 YEARS SINCE THE NATO CHARTER WAS FIRST WRITTEN, OUR SECURITY IS INDIVISIBLE WITHIN THE ALLIANCE. NONE OF US SHOULD WANT TO STAND ALONE OR APART FROM ALL THE OTHERS. OUR STRENGTH IN NATO DERIVES FROM OUR COLLECTIVE MILITARY AND POLITICAL COMMITMENT TO EACH OTHER. THAT IS WHY THE NEW NATO IS SO VITALLY IMPORTANT TO THE U.S., CANADA AND ALL OF EUROPE AND WHY IT MUST CONTINUE TO LEAD OUR COMMON EFFORT TO DEFINE OUR FUTURE TOGETHER.

SO, FOR ALL THAT HAS CHANGED AT NATO AND IN TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS IN RECENT YEARS, THE NEED FOR COOPERATION HAS NOT. PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY, A FRIEND AND ALLY OF CHANCELLOR KONRAD ADENAUER, ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE IN FRANKFURT FORTY YEARS AGO IN JUNE 1963. THOUGH SPEAKING IN ANOTHER ERA WITH DIFFERENT THREATS AND CHALLENGES, HIS WORDS STILL RING TRUE TODAY.

"THE FUTURE OF THE WEST LIES IN ATLANTIC PARTNERSHIP -- A SYSTEM OF COOPERATION, INTERDEPENDENCE AND HARMONY WHOSE PEOPLE CAN JOINTLY MEET THEIR BURDENS AND OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. SOME SAY THIS IS ONLY A DREAM, BUT I DO NOT AGREE. A GENERATION OF ACHIEVEMENT -- THE MARSHALL PLAN, NATO, THE SCHUMAN PLAN, AND THE COMMON MARKET -- URGES US UP THE PATH TO GREATER UNITY.”

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO OUR GENERATION’S RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP THE PEACE IN EUROPE AND BEYOND, AND TO KEEP OUR NATO BRIDGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC SOUND AND SECURE, THOSE WORDS OF FORTY YEARS AGO RING VERY TRUE TODAY. WE WILL FACE, AS PRESIDENT KENNEDY SAID, DIFFICULTIES AND DELAYS, AND DOUBTS AND DISCOURAGEMENT. WE WILL HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON IMPORTANT ISSUES FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT WE MUST ALSO PRESERVE THE WILL AND THE MEANS TO RECLAIM OUR FRIENDSHIP, MAINTAIN NATO'S PREEMINENT ROLE TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS AND ACT TOGETHER IN AN EVER MORE DANGEROUS WORLD.

IN THE SPIRIT OF ADENAUER AND KENNEDY, IT IS TIME TO HEAL THE TRANSATLANTIC RIFT WITH A GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT TRUE TO OUR LONG, HISTORIC FRIENDSHIP IN NATO. BY WORKING TOGETHER IN THE ALLIANCE, WE CAN COME TOGETHER AGAIN TO BUILD THE PARTNERSHIP THAT HELPED US WIN THE COLD WAR, AND WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO WINNING THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR AND WMD.

THE NEW NATO REMAINS OUR GREATEST BRIDGE TO OUR COMMON EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN VISION FOR A STRONG AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE. WE MUST USE IT AND PROTECT IT.