How not to manage an alliance?
?or run a conference on joint security. The idea behind this year's Munich Conference on Security Policy was the bring together NATO and EU partners to discuss common issues and iron out differences. The result was a farce.
Given the existing tensions between Germany and the US, one would think that Munich was neither the time nor the place for springing surprises — the stakes are too high now — but, sure enough, a surprise was sprung and what a beauty it was. From out of the Franco-German hat came a conjured rumour that a proposal involving the deployment of thousands of UN peacekeepers and tripling the number of UN weapons inspectors in Iraq was being readied for presentation to the UN Security Council next Friday. The French representatives at the conference denied the existence of such a plan. The German defence minister Peter Struck appeared unwilling or unable to confirm or deny the reports. The US delegation was shocked by the amateurishness of it all. Remember Charles de Gaulle's verdict on the Americans? "Ils ne sont pas s鲩eux." Well, the tables have been turned and it perfectly describes the actions of the Old Europeans at the moment.
Quite a few observers felt that the entire episode had been concocted to cover German Chancellor Schr?'s rear. He's dug himself into such a hole with his opposition to US plans for dealing with Saddam, goes the analysis, that he's decided to float this improbable balloon, with the help of the friendly Der Spiegel newsweekly, in the full knowledge that it will be shot down. He can then turn to supporters and say, "Well, I tried to offer an alternative to war, didn't I?" Bit late in the day, though.
Is Schr? that cynical? Hard to say. But regardless of the manoeuvring, it's now clear that NATO is in deep, deep trouble and efforts to get Europe to speak with one voice on the Iraq issues have taken a further serious knock. For the organizers of the Munich Conference, one can only feel pity. The threat to the event was predicted to come from the thousands of protestors on the streets, but the real damage was done by some of those who got in wearing accreditation.
God, I need a stiff drink. It's been a long weekend and the day job is only a few hours away. I'm taking a break from the blogging now to catch up on sleep but Amiland is keeping watch so take a look. Good stuff coming up I expect on the Donald Rumsfeld interview with Sabine Christiansen.
