French and German concern over Russia's reaction dashed the two former Soviet republics' hopes of being granted a "membership action plan" that bring them into the alliance within the next five to 10 years.
But alliance Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said NATO welcomes the countries' aspirations to join. "We agree today that these countries will become members of NATO," he said.
Greek opposition also meant that Macedonia was excluded, though NATO did agree to invite the Balkan nations of Albania and Croatia.
It is true that we succeeded in getting NATO support for missile defense, more troops for Afghansitan, and the commitment to eventually bring in Ukraine and Georgia. So we did have success. But the idea that we can appease the Russians is folly.
Are the French and Germans really telling us we can expect Russia to be sweetness and light now? Are the French and Germans that dense? The Russians remember both of those countries marched toward Moscow within the last two centuries. Yet the Germans and French believe they can appease Moscow. Being the ones who toss two vulnerable countries to the Russian wolf won't make the Russians think nice thoughts about the heirs of Guderian and Napoleon. I won't even comment about those numbskulls in Athens and their psychotic protests about Macedonia.
We should be driving east just as hard as we can before Russia gets strong enough to push west again. Make those paranoid rulers contemplate a very long drive west should they get delusions of empire once more. Heck, maybe the futility of such a task will convince the Russians to finally join the West instead of trying to undermine and destroy the West.
Remember, too, what I said about even friendly rulers of democracies undermining our interests.
