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http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1031119899874&p=1012571727166 Financial Times October 4, 2002 Nato set to form 'go anywhere, any time force' By Judy Dempsey in Brussels Nato's top military commander in Europe yesterday swept away several taboos by saying the US-led alliance would establish a rapid reaction force ready to go "anywhere, any time at very short notice" and capable of carrying out 200 combat sorties a day. General Joseph Ralston's short speech to a Nato conference hosted by the Transatlantic Centre of the German Marshall Fund in effect threw down the gauntlet to the European Union, almost paralysed in trying to establish its own rapid reaction force by mid-2003. The EU hopes to launch a 60,000-strong rapid reaction force (RRF) capable of being deployed for up to one year and earmarked largely for peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. Given the need for rotation, this would require at least 180,000 troops, which the Europeans do not have. The RRF would also need airlift, logistics and communications - areas where the Europeans have shortfalls. Plans also by the EU to take over the small Nato-led operation in Macedonia this month have fallen apart because of a long standing dispute between Greece and Turkey over how the EU could have access to Nato assets. Diplomats said Gen Ralston's speech confirmed a fresh willingness by the US to push Nato into a leaner, more flexible organisation through its new Nato Response Force. The Pentagon said the Nato Response Force would be ready for training by October 2004 and operational two years later. It would operate out of Nato areas, be capable of fighting alone for 30 days and be a "stand alone force that is lethal, technically superior to any envisioned threat and readily deployable on short notice of between five and 30 days". Although Nato diplomats dismissed the idea that the NRF would eclipse the EU's force, European diplomats think otherwise. "What a reversal of roles," said a European diplomat. "ESDP [European Security and Defence Policy] is struggling for survival while Nato is attempting a revival." __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! http://sbc.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
