When NATO approved their 1999 “strategic concepts” document, the 10 year strategy never included a decade long, failing land war in Central Asia. Nor did it envision fighting “cyberwars” on the internet. Even though analysts see the disastrous Afghan War as a “traumatic” event, NATO seems willing and even eager for more such “engagement.”
According to some indications from officials the 2010 version of this document, which has yet to be made available to the public, centers its policy around these ideas, as well as the goal of being able to start a major war anywhere on the planet, something which NATO seems uniquely positioned and keen to do.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the Afghan War, vowed that the new document would keep NATO “engaged and efficient” worldwide.
One thing that hasn’t changed though is the goal to build a hugely expensive missile defense system of dubious effectiveness across Europe. This, beyond continuing the Afghan War for many years to come, was the centerpiece of NATO’s discussions today in Lisbon.
