Letter: NATO evolves into military muscle of U.N.

Monday, Dec. 23, 2002 | 8:34 a.m.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has extended membership to seven more nations (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovakia, Romania, Slovenia and Bulgaria). But the real story about NATO is that it has become the U.N.'s military arm. Formed in 1949 under Articles 52-54 of the United Nations Charter, the alliance has always been a subsidiary of the world body.

Although military action directly under the U.N. may be vetoed by one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, NATO has no such impediment. Hence, it was NATO's forces that went into Bosnia to enforce a U.N. resolution.

Partisans for world government have now called for NATO to occupy portions of Israel.

James Schneider, a senior military instructor at the U.S. Army's Fort Leavenworth, anticipated in 1995 "the transformation of NATO from a regional security arrangement to a future role as the U.N.'s military arm." That "future role" has largely been realized. Our nation should, instead, withdraw both from NATO and its United Nations parent.

CHARLES A. DELZOTTI