NATO Revamp

This morning an interesting article appears on the wire, via Reuters, which indicates (to me, at least) there is a widening gap between members of NATO, specfically between the US and the European members.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has called for a revamp of NATO. Today, French President Jacques Chirac endorsed Schroeder's call for a reform of how "transatlantic partners discuss and coordinate strategies."

Based on the US administration's actions toward Iraq, specifically invading the country without the support of NATO alliance members, the EU is aware of the significance of the event and is positioning to make sure they (current NATO members) are viewed as members of the international community and not as passive supporters, at best, or powerless members, at worst, of NATO.

In the article, Chirac Backs German Call for Revamp of NATO, the following quotes are worth close analysis for the deeper meaning behind the message:

Schroeder said in a speech delivered to a Munich security conference 10 days ago that NATO was "no longer the primary venue where transatlantic partners discuss and coordinate strategies" and suggested a high-level panel should recommend how it could be reformed.

Some analysts interpreted Schroeder's call as implying that the EU, rather than NATO, should be the main partner in future transatlantic cooperation.

and this

Chirac too pointed to the EU's growing defense cooperation and said it was an asset, not a threat, to NATO.

"European defense is progressing. This development is an opportunity for our alliance, because a stronger, more united Europe, obviously means a stronger, more efficient Atlantic alliance," he said.

Realignments are taking place, not only with the EU, but also with Russia and China. All of us should be paying close attention to all of these maneuvers as they may have critical long-term repercussions for the US.