NATO defense ministers yesterday backed a U.S. proposal for a rapid reaction force to deal with terrorist threats, rogue states and weapons of mass destruction (see GSN, Sept. 24).

“If NATO does not have a force that is quick and agile, that can deploy in days or weeks rather than months or years, then it will not have capabilities to offer the world in the 21^st century,” U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told ministers at a Warsaw meeting.

The proposed force would number up to 20,000 troops and be deployable within a month, possibly as quickly as one week (Steven Erlanger, New York Times, Sept. 25).

Some diplomats have expressed concern that such a unit would not work in NATO, whose members make decisions by consensus (Stephen Castle, Independent, Sept. 25).

Rumsfeld and a CIA official also gave NATO ministers a classified briefing on Iraq’s chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs (Erlanger, New York Times).

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP

Back to top