The Moron tries to redefine NATO

George W. Bush has decided that NATO forces are now inextricably tied to his great 10th Crusade to spread freedom, peace and American flags over as many oilfields as possible.

“NATO is no longer a static alliance focused on defending Europe from a Soviet tank invasion,” he said in Bucharest. “It is now an expeditionary alliance that is sending its forces across the world to help secure a future of freedom and peace for millions.”

You know, literacy requires that an individual be able to read as well as just write. NATO disagrees with Bush's view. In fact, The North Atlantic Treaty is pretty clear.

The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security .

NATO is completely and utterly a defensive treaty. It is nobody's expeditionary "freedom" spreading crusade machine. It is there to provide collective defence to its members - not the rest of the world.

Not that we can expect our man Steve to take a different stand than his hero-in-chief.

Hopefully the rest of the world recognizes Bush for what he is: a lame-duck sock puppet who is so in love with his title that he can't spend two minutes reading a treaty that hasn't changed in 59 years.

Bush might want to watch his yapping. His ill-advised and failed attempt to give the Ukraine and Georgia membership in the defensive alliance may prompt the need for renewed vigilance in the direction of the North German Plain.

President Vladimir V. Putin, after meeting with NATO members in Bucharest on Friday, bluntly declared that an expansion that included Ukraine and Georgia, both former Soviet republics with deep historical links to Russia, would constitute a threat.

Somebody needs to bring the clown home, strap him into a chair and unplug his telephone until the end of November.