New allies, missions for EUCOM, NATO

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Gen. John Craddock, right, commander of the U.S. European Command and NATO forces, salutes Italian troops on Nov. 23 during a visit to Herat, Afghanistan. "If we're really serious about tomorrow, we've got to shape tomorrow" Craddock said, referring to future civil-military efforts by NATO and the U.S. European Command.


New allies, missions for EUCOM, NATO
By Charlie Coon, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Sunday, December 2, 2007

KABUL, Afghanistan — The days of the U.S. defeating enemies solely through lethal force seem to have gone the way of the Cold War.
For the U.S. European Command and its security partner, NATO, a new military doctrine is emerging that includes shaping regions to their liking, tamping down regional hot spots before they flare up and recruiting fledgling nations to join the team.

“We have opened up our horizons and can be helpful in a variety of situations,” said Gen. John Craddock, commander of both EUCOM and NATO’s military force. “In disaster relief, such as in Pakistan (2005 earthquake) for example, in flooding, (last summer’s) fires in the Balkans and things like that.

“And there is the classic military mission — deploy, employ, fight and redeploy. We still have to retain competency. There is a wider field, a greater spectrum, and we have to be competent across that spectrum.”

To win widespread battles — military or otherwise — the U.S. and NATO have asked for help from newer allies, including larger ones such as Romania and smaller ones such as Montenegro, which are being brought into the fold to promote democratic values.

In 2004, seven nations from eastern Europe, including three from the former Soviet Union, joined NATO. That increased membership to 26 nations.

Three more — Macedonia, Croatia and Albania — are slated for a membership vote this spring. EUCOM, has been working with the three to help make their militaries NATO-caliber.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=50669