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Post Cold War defence changes (1)

01 January 1991

Post Cold War defence changes
artdoc August=1992

NATO Ministers decided in June that in future it could act
outside its member territories. Until now NATO, founded at the
beginning of the Cold War in 1949, could only act in defence of
member countries. For this reason in the Gulf War European troops
were sent under the umbrella of the Western European Union (WEU)
not NATO. (The WEU consists of all European Community countries
except Ireland, Denmark and Greece). In future, NATO forces will
be able to undertake `peace-keeping' operations on behalf of the
52 member nation Conference on Security and Co-operation in
Europe (CSCE), which includes all the countries in Western and
Eastern Europe.
Critics however say that NATO is geared up to war-fighting not
peace-keeping and that money and resources would be better spent
increasing these countries contribution to the United Nations and
Blue Helmet peace-keeping corps. This view received backing when
Reuters published a secret NATO strategy report (MC400) which
shows that it is slimming down in order to survive. The report
refers to using nuclear weapons with precision and discrimination
and securing the Suez Canal to safeguard oil supplies.
Earlier this year France and Germany decided to set up a joint
35,000 strong army corps which they hope will be the basis of a
European army. France, which withdrew from NATO in 1967 because
of US domination, sees future EC defence policy being centred on
this initiative rather than on NATO. While NATO in May 1991
decided to set up a Rapid Reaction Force (RRF), to be operational
by 1995, which the UK will lead.
The ending of the Cold War, between East and West, has turned
NATO thinking South - with the residual need to provide a quick
reaction force to deal with nationalist struggles in the `wider'
Europe. In this context the respective roles of NATO, the WEU,
an EC force, and the CSCE are still in the melting pot.
Tribune, 5.6.92; Guardian, 5.6.92; Jane's Defence Weekly,
20.7.91; `Europe within NATO', Sir Leon Brittan, RUSI Journal,
Summer 1991; MOD press release, 9.7.91.

Statewatch vol 2 no 4, July/August 1992