On 29 Oct 2003 22:54:47 GMT, BUFDRVR wrote:

I would point out that the USA is hardly likely to want to change
NATO from unanimity to majority voting, since all except 2 or 3
(depending how you count) members of NATO are European.

However, European nations seldom (if ever) speak with a unified voice.
Abandoning unanimity would prevent France, Germany and Belgium (the three
biggest obstructions to concise and decisive action) from stopping action that
16 other nations may feel is in their best interest to do. Yeah, yeah, those 16
other nations can still act,

Which negate your earlier point, that France, Germany and Belgium
can stop them -- make up your mind which you are trying to say.

but if they're going to, what's the point of
having the NATO alliance?

The point of NATO is to be a defensive alliance; that is, an attack
on one NATO state counts as an attack against all.

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