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Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

26 February 2009

I recently attended a conference in Prague on the future of NATO. It was a very timely gathering.

NATO is 60 years old this year and in April a grand summit will be held to mark the anniversary. But although the alliance has many achievements to its credit all is not well. Indeed there are some who question its very future.

At the heart of the doubts lies the campaign in Afghanistan. The reason for this conflict is clear. It was in Afghanistan that the attack on the twin towers in New York was planned. It was in Afghanistan, when it was controlled by the Taliban, that Osama bin Laden was given a safe haven from which to plan and organise his attacks on the West. So it really is important, for the West as a whole that this is not allowed to happen again.

But not all NATO members are pulling their weight in Afghanistan. Some – the US, the UK, the Canadians, the Dutch and the Danes – are shouldering much more than their fair share of the burden. Too many other countries, even if their troops are present, are subject to all kinds of caveats which call their usefulness into question.

Not long ago an American captain was wounded in action. The responsibility for evacuating him from the field of battle to a place where he could receive medical treatment was entrusted to Spanish forces. They had to obtain permission from Madrid to undertake the mission. When that permission had been given it was decided that the place where the captain lay wounded was too dangerous for the Spanish helicopters to land. So he had to be taken on a truck to a safer place from which, eventually, he was lifted out. As a result his leg had to be amputated.

The Americans are very long suffering. Imagine the outcry here if a similar thing had happened to one of our soldiers. But there are signs that even their patience is wearing thin. Voices are beginning to be heard in Washington suggesting that the operation in Afghanistan might be more successful if the US did things on their own, other than through NATO.

That could spell the end for the alliance and we would all be weaker as a result. So a clarion call for action is needed. I hope it comes – and is heeded at the summit in April.