The NATO show hobbles along
As the participants in Munich's annual Security Conference prepare to head to the airport at the close of a strenuous day marked by speeches from Kofi Annan and Hillary Clinton, there's one question uppermost in many of their minds, and it's this: What would happen if Afghanistan didn't exist? The answer, of course, is that if it didn't all those members of NATO who proudly parade their peacekeeping achievements would have to put boots on the ground in Iraq. Among the countries that have figured out that the Hindu Kush can provide perfect cover for their troops and their true commitment to collective security are Germany and Spain. Both are happy to combat the poppy growers for as long as it takes. Both are delighted that Afghanistan does exist.
This doesn't help the people of Iraq very much, though. And it certainly doesn't help those battling the monsters who slaughter men, women and children by bombing bakeries, mosques and hospitals. The elaborate and regular NATO announcements of its members' willingness to train Iraqi forces anywhere except in Iraq are farcical, but no one wants to draw too much attention to this because President Bush will be visiting NATO headquarters on 22 February, and bandaging the external fractures is more important in the run up to his arrival than examining the internal injuries. Regardless of the tension between the allies and despite what's happening in the world's conflict zones, organizational harmony, or the appearance of it at least, is the most important issue now. The show must go on.
