NATO Considers a Nuclear First Strike Option

In a original article by Ian Traynor that was published in The Guardian (Jan. 22, 2008), the Main Stream Media(MSM) dropped the ball and this little bit of news never ever made it out to the rest of the world.  Considereing the time of year that Mr. Traynor published the article, originally entitled:  "Pre-emptive nuclear strike a key option, NATO told".  

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) officials were considering a first strike nuclear option to be used anywhere in the world should a threat arise.  Former armed force chiefs from the U.S., Britain, Germany, France, and the Netherlands authored a 150-page document calling for urgent reform of NATO, and a new pact drawing the US, NATO, and the European Union (EU) together into a "Grand Strategy" to tackle the challenges of a brutal world.  

I first discovered this article from another article entitled:  "Top 25 Censored Stories for 2009." From a quick scan, it seems to be President George W. Bush was bad, etc, etc., etc.  But this article on NATO really caught my eye.

I mean, the list of authors for this paper makes interesting reading by itself.  From the U.S., we have former chairman of the US joint chiefts of staff General John Shalikashvili.  General Klaus Naumann, ex-chairman of NATO's military committee.  General Henk van den Breemen, Former Dutch chief of staff.  Admiral Jacques Lanzade, a former French chief of staff.  And from the United Kingdom, we have Lord Inge, field marshal and ex-chief of the general staff and the defense staff in the UK.  They painted a dire picture of the threats and challenges that will confront the West in the post-9/11 world and they deliver a withering verdict on the ability to cope with those situations.  The five commanders argue that the West's values and our way of life are under threat, and at the same time, trying to suck up the will to defend those same values.

These are the key threats facing the West:

1.  Political fanaticism and religious fundamentalism

2.  The threat of globalization, such as international terrorism, organized crime, and the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

3.  Climate change and energy insecurity.  This entailing a contest fro resources and potential "enviromental" migration on a mass scale.

4.  Weakening of the nation state as well as their organizations such as the United Nations, NATO, the EU, etc.

In order to rpevail, the generals call for a major overhaul of NATO decision-making methods.  The need for a new "Directorate" of US, European, and NATO leaders to respond rapidly to crises, and an end to EU "Obstruction" of, and rivalry with, NATO.  

Below are soem of the radical changes this group recommends.

1.  A shift from consensus decision-making in NATO bodies to majority voting, resulting in faster action throught an end to national vetoes.

2.  The abolition of national caveats in NATO operations that have been plaguing the Afghan campaign.

3.  No role in decision-making on NATO operations for alliance members who are not taking part in the operations.

4.  Use of force without UN Security Council authorization when "immediate action is needed to pretect large nubmers of human beings."

Ian Traynor concluded his article with this closing paragraph, and a update for the Top 25 list posting.

(NATO) reserving the right to initiate nuclear attack was a central element of the West's Cold War strategy against the Soviet Union.  Critics argue that what was once a method used to face down a nuclear superpower is no longer appropriate.  Then the update adds:  "I was the only person to write about this and nothing much has really happened since."  

Well, maybe now since the (Ameican) MSM has finally got their guy into the White House for (pick any of the following reasons:  1) the first black man, 2) He's not George W. Bush, 3) By hook or crook, the MSM was going to choose the next President of the United States - Not the people themselves, or 4) all of the above).  Now that the two year long election of 2007/2008 is now over with, the MSM will try to find something new to actually report on.  That is if any of them still have any jobs in any still working news bureaus.