Does NATO have a future, or should it be shut down

[GPIDEAL]

My personal opinio is that NATO should be shit-canned.

It is a relic from a different era and serves no viable purpose. It's a toy for American War Hawks because they love things that go boom. Given the current political situation in Europe - there is simply no need for a cold war era military club. It almost sounds like Gates is lamenting the fact that there is not need to spend huge sums of money on a never ending military mission.

Get rid of it.

I disagree. If NATO was a toy for American War Hawks, Gates wouldn't be speaking against it. His complaint is that other nations don't put in their fare share. NATO is important in the war against terrorism or any threat to western-style democracy.

 

[fuji]

Why should the US or Canada pay to do that?

OTB

Russia is a natural superpower. The US has a security interest and if left unchecked will inevitably challenge US interests. The US has an interest in containing Russia so that it does not challenge US interests globally.

This isn't obvious???

Currently I think the world is on track for another major war, in perhaps 30 or 40 years. US military superiority has created a sort of peace lately, but that is waning, and competition for water, food, and oil rising. Once competing nations feel militarily able to, I expect we'll see a sharp rise in the number of conflicts. It'll start with cold war style proxy wars, but potentially escalate to total war.

I think the US is currently attempting to jockey for position when/if total war comes.

 

[diehard]

Russia is a natural superpower. The US has a security interest and if left unchecked will inevitably challenge US interests. The US has an interest in containing Russia so that it does not challenge US interests globally.

This isn't obvious???

Currently I think the world is on track for another major war, in perhaps 30 or 40 years. US military superiority has created a sort of peace lately, but that is waning, and competition for water, food, and oil rising. Once competing nations feel militarily able to, I expect we'll see a sharp rise in the number of conflicts. It'll start with cold war style proxy wars, but potentially escalate to total war.

I think the US is currently attempting to jockey for position when/if total war comes.

According to Fukuyama, that won't happen...

 

[GPIDEAL]

Libya is EXACTLY why NATO should be shit canned. The west is continually getting dragged into (or starting wars for that matter) which we should not be involved in.

Libya is a DISASTER. If the locals can't rise up and overthrow a Dictator, then I'm sorry, but that's the way it goes.

They've managed to do it on their own in Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen. Now the Libyans want NATO to do their dirty work. Plus, we all know that they will turf one Dictator and simply install another Dictator (who will probably be worse than the last one).

NATO is a bad joke that is being forced on the rest of us by the Americans because they are a militaristic society that loves war and spending money on war.

NATO may have had its place in 1949 – but now it simply is not needed. It is outdated and not worth the money.

Besides, the Americans are extended too far militarily and should be looking for ways to cut their military as the cost of it and the cost of bases all around the world is dragging the USA into the economic abyss. Whenever I hear some buffoon from the Tea Party (Ryan) talking about cutting this and cutting that, but not touching the military budget, I just discount everything they just said because they are clearly in denial and simply a typical right wing war hawk.

NATO should be easy to get rid of since the member countries really are only interested in paying lip service to it anyway.

You make some good points, but I feel we need our allies to stay together and always be prepared but only to the extent of the current threat level.