Friday, March 25, 2011

What does “NATO control” mean exactly?


Admittedly I retired nearly fourteen years ago, but I was mulling over my experience with NATO during my time in the Marine Corps.  I’m not sure how you have NATO “control” without the United States. 

I remember going into NATO’s SOUTHCOM headquarters several times.  When I went there in the morning if it weren’t for the weird fixtures and door hardware you would think that it was a US military office anywhere in the world.  All the people there at 0730 (7:30 AM for non-military types) were Americans.  Around 0930 (9:30 AM) the officers of NATO member nations would straggle in looking for a cup of coffee.  Following a leisurely lunch nearly all our allies were gone by 1600 (4:00 PM) after a grueling 5 hour day.  This returned the headquarters to American control. 

For those of us who have worked with NATO certainly we have worked with experienced and dedicated professionals.  The British are noteworthy in this regard.  But consider that France just shot down an airplane for the very first time in more 70 years.  The real pros in the War business reside in the United States Armed Forces and they have for more than five decades. 

So what does “NATO control” mean?  It seems to me that it means that the guy in front of the camera talks with a funny accent.  The people pulling all the strings will still be Americans.  I will however be properly impressed if Europeans do the majority of the fighting and the dying this time.  

The American Way of War: A History of United States Military Strategy and Policy         The Eagle's Talons: The American Experience at War
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5 comments:

  1. Ted ViveirosMarch 25, 2011 at 11:26 PM

    Thanks Bill. Well said. Amen.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tenth Generation PatriotMarch 25, 2011 at 11:33 PM

    I think that even with the French connection, the dying is going to be almost entirely Libyan. So the French dropped an airplane? I thought the only thing they ever dropped was their rifles.

    ReplyDelete
  3. HardnoxMarch 26, 2011 at 7:14 AM

    Amigo,

    The euro-weenies are looking for the door. The sand-nazis have already left. 2,200 Marines have left for Libya.

    This does not bode well for us.

    Euro-weenies doing the heavy lifting is not part of their DNA anymore. I think you are about to be disappointed.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Common SnseMarch 26, 2011 at 8:21 AM

    Thanks Ted -

    10th - I hope you are right but as we both know when you get that much military activity going on there is always the chance of accidents as well. It is dangerous work.

    H-Nox - how about those Germans too!?! I guess that Stalin Zhukov took the starch out of them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. HardnoxMarch 26, 2011 at 9:47 AM

    Amigo,

    Yes, the Germans surrendered their testicles as well. That's why I left.

    ReplyDelete

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