Posted on 04/22/2009 5:13:04 AM PDT by Schnucki
Diplomatic sources in Washington have indicated that talks may be underway regarding a major concession to France as part of a deal to reintegrate the French into NATO's command structures. If implemented, the concession - a possible relocation of a key NATO supreme command from the United States to France - would significantly undercut American and British power within the alliance, and is clearly against the national interests of both Great Britain and the United States.
It was first revealed in February that French officers would be placed in command of Allied Command Transformation (ACT), currently based in Norfolk, Virginia. ACT is one of two supreme NATO commands - the other, Allied Command Operations (ACO), is based in Mons, Belgium. France has also been given the lead of Joint Command Lisbon, one of NATO's three main operations headquarters, which controls the NATO Rapid Reaction Force.
The relocation of the ACT headquarters away from U.S. soil (possibly to Lille, the home of the French Rapid Reaction Corps) would represent a major transfer of power to Paris within the NATO alliance structure. It would place both of NATO's main supreme command centres physically in continental Europe and would additionally be a boost to French plans for the creation of a European Union defence identity.
A move to France for Allied Command Transformation would result in the sidelining of both American and British military planners, shifting the balance of power within the alliance away from Washington and London. It would also be a hugely costly exercise implemented for purely political reasons as a sop to the French.
There is still every opportunity to derail what would be a foolhardy move by the Obama administration. It's unclear to what degree the Brown government has been involved in any discussions over the future location of
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.telegraph.co.uk ...
Obama surrenders to France.
The new NATO flag will be white on a field of white
With spaches of red for color.
I wouldn’t move any NATO command structures to France. They’re a new member. Does seniority count for nothing?
Who carried the torch after De Geaulle’s hissy fit pullout? We did.
You going to tell me that his heinous might actually surrender to France? Wow, what a complete female hygiene product.
Uh, fellas, NATO headquarters was originally in France — at Rocquencourt.
They pulled out in 1967.
No HQ for you. We’re not going back to NATO 1948 just because France is rejoining.
“I wouldn’t move any NATO command structures to France. They’re a new member...”
France is not a new member, it never left NATO, and French troops remained in West Germany throughout the Cold War under orders to assist the other NATO members in repelling any Soviet attack. What did happen is that France withdrew from the centralized command structure of NATO; in 1966, french president Charles DeGaulle was unhappy that NATO would not help France with its counterinsurgency efforts in Algeria, and he also wanted France to be an equal partner with the U.S. and Britain in controlling NATO, so yes, you are correct that DeGaulle had a hissy fit.
added to the list...
bttt
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.