U.S. President Barack Obama welcomes NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, March 25, 2009. Reuters/Larry Downing (United States Politics)From Voice Of America:
U.S. President Barack Obama said his goal is to help create a stronger NATO. Mr. Obama said he wants to see an invigorated NATO presence in Afghanistan.
NATO celebrates its 60th anniversary at the end of next week with a summit in the heart of Europe - along the French-German border.
President Obama said it will be an opportunity to not just review the successes of the past, but to look to the future.
"We have a set of challenges that require NATO to shift from the 20th century to the 21st century; issues of terrorism, failed states, nuclear proliferation, a whole host of new challenges as well as the traditional role NATO has played in preserving the territorial integrity of NATO members," he said.
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Update: Obama defends right to NATO expansion -- Breitbart/AFP
My Comment: For NATO, this overview is long overdue.