NATO Duel Centers on Georgia and Ukraine
NATO is once again divided over the issue of Georgian and Ukrainian government ambitions to join the alliance. Bush’s team and it’s successors from the Obama administration are expected to try and push the two countries into the alliance, while the European countries – especially the Eurozone, are intending to block the initiative. Although acknowledging that someday Ukraine and Georgia will become NATO members (unless their governments change their minds), Eurozone countries save face and prevent appearance of retreat, yet they also make it clear the inclusion of this countries into the alliance will not happen any time soon.
The chief Eurozone countries – Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and Netherlands – despite their relative proximity to the Russian Federation, they see Russia as far less of a threat than United States does, and are unwilling to damage their relations with Russia in any significant way. Beginning with the second Iraq war, they’ve become much more vocal in carrying out a distinct foreign policy than they have during the 1990s. If this is the second cold war, then this time the US will have to wage it without European support. Still the hawkish ambitions of many US politicians, such as Hillary Clinton (the future secretary of state), are simply hilarious.