NATO Exercises New Rapid Response Force

NATO officials today unveiled their new rapid response force in a series of war games involving Czech, French, German, Spanish and Turkish military units (see GSN, Sept. 25, 2002).

The new force is scheduled to be at full strength by 2006 and include 20,000 elite military personnel from Europe and North America. The current exercise involves about 1,000 personnel dealing with a terrorist threat to U.N. personnel on the coast of Turkey. Czech troops, specially trained in dealing with chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, are set to step in during the simulation to address a WMD threat (see GSN, Oct. 9).

NATO’s military commander, U.S. Marine Gen. James Jones, praised the new effort and said it will keep the alliance relevant.

“It marks an important recognition on the part of the alliance that the international security environment has changed dramatically,” Jones said (Paul Ames, Associated Press/Tuscaloosanews.com, Nov. 20).

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