BUDAPEST 9-10 October 2008 NATO defense ministers meet amid new concerns about Russia

The focus at this October meeting of NATO defense ministers is likely to depend on whether the Alliance feels compelled to answer Russia's reawakened militarism. If tensions continue to rise, boosting European Union and NATO military cooperation could seem like urgent business. Afghanistan leaves NATO with few surplus resources to meet new challenges. Expanding the EU-NATO club, or Eurocorps, and rethinking the European Security and Defence Policy could make both entities feel more formidable.

The Alliance's Afghanistan headache, meanwhile, has not gone away. Insurgents have regrouped and stepped up their attacks, the NATO death toll is rising, and the Afghan government is demanding an end to NATO air strikes on villagers. On Aug 26 Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai ordered a review of foreign military activities amid claims that dozens of civilians have died in raids and air strikes in the previous week.  

NATO has warned Russia that its recent military move into on Aug 7 Georgia was unacceptable, and the situation remains tense. The dispute over the two breakaway regions of Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, could develop into a showdown between Moscow and the West. The display of military might at the Victory Day celebration in Moscow in May reminded the Allies that Russia has nearly quadrupled its defence spending in recent years. During the parade, President Dimitry Medvedev declared that the military was "getting stronger, like Russia itself."  UPDATED Aug/08

RELATED READING:

Afghanistan demands end to NATO airstrikes on villagers (Guardian 26 Aug 2008)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/26/afghanistan.nato