Reshaping NATO

NATO, the Atlantic military alliance spawned and shaped by the Cold War, has taken an important step toward restructuring itself for the needs of a new era. Foreign ministers from its 16 member nations agreed in Berlin on Monday on more flexible ways for European members of the alliance to respond to future regional crises that do not require American military might.

The new formulas, if carefully applied, could have a double advantage for the United States. They may reduce unwanted pressure on Washington to commit American ground troops when NATO forces enter a conflict. They will also permit the reintegration of French military units into NATO operations, ending the 30-year estrangement begun by Charles de Gaulle. Considerable credit is due French President Jacques Chirac, a Gaullist himself, whose military reforms did much to make the changes possible.

Larger NATO operations, like the current mission in Bosnia, will still require American ground troops. But more modest undertakings, like a possible successor mission in Bosnia, limited peacekeeping assignments or emergency evacuations, might not. Under the new ground rules, NATO's European members could initiate operations using American-supplied equipment, transport and intelligence, provided that all NATO members, including Washington, give their approval. Any military mission would be directed by NATO's commanding officer, always a U.S. general.

Historically, Washington wanted American troops directly involved in any NATO operation to cement Atlantic unity. It feared that if some military activities were left solely to the Europeans, Moscow and its Warsaw Pact allies would try to drive a wedge between Europe and the United States. This rejection of independent European decision-making led de Gaulle in 1966 to withdraw French forces from the NATO military command. Ever since, French governments have campaigned for a separate, purely European military force.

But Chirac has taken a different approach. The quarrel over European independence in Cold-War strategy is now obsolete. Meanwhile, France risks falling behind in crucial new military technologies by prolonging its estrangement from NATO and the American military, the world leader in these areas.

Chirac also seeks a more economical approach to defense. He has announced plans to shift from France's large, conscription force to a smaller, modernized volunteer military.

By easing American opposition to European military action within NATO, the Clinton administration has made it politically possible for Chirac to bring France back into the alliance's military structure. Washington and Paris still differ about what kind of activities European NATO members should undertake on their own. Washington has reason to worry that European allies might get in over their heads and then call on Washington to bail them out. But the basic decision-making and command structure has now been agreed on.

The new accord preserves Washington's insistence on unanimous decision-making and American command. It gives France added scope for European military action. In addition, it promises to bring French military forces back into NATO. The plan is not without risks and has yet to be tested. But it represents a constructive attempt to adapt NATO to post-cold-war realities.

-- The New York Times