The NATO summit closed on Saturday in Lisbon with adopting new Strategic Concept that focuses on the missile defense, the war on terror in Afghanistan, and Russian coorperation.The US, the NATO member nations, and Russia announced to build cooperative missile defense systems that covers all NATO nations including the US. As it struggles on to find ground now in times as the NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said as "a new turning point" in cooperation with Russia, it sets Iran as its potential threat to the organization.
President Obama said, the anti-missile defense shield "offers a role for all of our allies to respond to the threats of our times,""We look forward to working with Russia to build our cooperation with them in this area.”
NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was founded for collective defense mainly against the former Soviet Union as its charter article 5 states:
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 .
→ The North Atlantic Treaty
The NATO summit ended. I told Jane that there was such a summit and said that Russians are cooperative in these days. They agreed upon building together the anti-missile defense systems of the US, EU, and Russia. The Russian government has been showing strong oppositions. I've written she is quick witted, and she really is. I wish I can describe how exactly she reacted to my statements. She said, -- so who are they against? God, I thought. I do not have to explain anything. I do not have to explain the notion of enemies. I answered her, "Iran. They are building the defense systems against Iranian missiles," assuming their diplomatic tone. Her answer was quick. "I thought they are friends," she said. Oh my, I said to myself. It's that quick. "The Russians stop selling S-300 missiles to Iran," I explained. "That's nice," she said. "Things are getting better," was my wish. The lasting, enduring peace in the world. President Obama said we need the Russians' cooperation for the sanction against the Iranian regime therefore the ratification of new START is important. The President in his weekly address it is former President Reagan who said "trust but verify" referring to building ties with Russians.
Without ratification this year, the United States will have no inspectors on the ground, and no ability to verify Russian nuclear activities. So those who would block this treaty are breaking President Reagan’s rule – they want to trust, but not verify. (President Obama)
I asked Jane why bombing Afghan secures the national safety. There was no immediate answer to that question. She said -- most of the lawmakers of our nation are honest and act upon the principles. At the summit, the leadership seems to have agreed on the roadmap of the security transitions to the Afghan forces.
The reports say, thousands of homes in Afghanistan is demolished by bombing and two thirds of them were of civilians. The Afghan President Hamid Karzai is facing the oppositions by his constituents against the NATO troops there. Even so, the US forces are sending tanks to Afghanistan in January.