The Old NATO Playbook, Still in Print
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly engaging Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former Prime Minister of Denmark and ex-head of NATO, ahead of the Munich Security Conference offers a tantalizing glimpse into the enduring narratives of Western foreign policy. Rasmussen's predictable call for continued European reliance on the US, subtly framed as 'shared values' and 'burden-sharing,' is less an observation and more a
reiteration of a long-standing power dynamic. CASE A: The Current Framing – 'European Unity and US Leadership' Rasmussen, according to the source, emphasizes the need for a 'stronger Europe' but one that remains firmly tethered to American military and geopolitical direction. The implicit message: European 'strength' is best channeled through Washington's interests. This is often couched in terms
of universal values and defense of the 'rules-based international order.' For example, Rasmussen would likely emphasize the importance of NATO solidarity against current 'threats.' CASE B: The Historical Pattern – 'Vassal States and US Hegemony' Contrast this with the historical record. The formation of NATO in 1949, while ostensibly defensive, also served to solidify U.S. geopolitical influence
over Western Europe, countering not just the Soviet Union but also independent European foreign policy initiatives. As George F. Kennan, one of the architects of US containment policy, admitted in his seminal 1951 'X Article' – often cited by analysts – the goal was to 'promote tendencies which, in the long run, make for the gradual modification or mellowing of Soviet behavior.' However, the