Vol. XXXVIII / 1 - Studia Moralia

210 M. B. RAMOSE
insistence on a controlling role for NATO thus precluded a
combined approach to Belgrade and doomed the prospects for a
Security Council resolution on the question.” 33 Why the
insistence that NATO should form the “core” and thus
paramount military presence in Kosovo even at the expense of a
United Nations security force properly and duly mandated? Why
concede a decisive role to NATO when specifically European
institutions such as the Council of Europe and the Organisation
for Security and Co-operation in Europe could have played a
role fitting to their status? For some these Organisations – albeit
with American presence – are still too weak to assume the
leadership that the United States provides in promoting stability
and security in Europe. In the aftermath of the collapse of the
Soviet Union, so the argument continues, American leadership
in Europe is even more important. However, such leadership
may be dispensed with and NATO would become obsolete once
Europe is firmly established to provide for its own stability and
security. 34 The merits of this questionable argument
notwithstanding, an attempt to answer the questions posed
must take into account the fact that NATO, born before its rival
military alliance, the Warsaw Pact, insisted upon its continued
existence when the latter disbanded voluntarily in the aftermath
of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The justification for the
continued existence of NATO is to be found partly in the
identification of Islam, particularly by the predecessor of Xavier
Solana, Willy Claes, as the enemy of NATO. Does this mean that
in the apparent absence of a credible ideological threat backed
by force NATO has decided to be the defender of an unidentified
religion against Islam? What is the special and unique problem
about Islam? Apart from this seeming revival of the crusade
wars another reason for the continued existence of NATO lies in
the alliance’s “new strategic concept.” 35 The latter, taking its cue
33
Blackburn, R., Kosovo: the war of NATO expansion, 235 New Left
Review, May/June 1999, p. 108.
34
Odom, W.E., Russia’s several seats at the table, International Affairs,
Vol. 74 No. 4 1998, p. 813-815.
35
NATO Review No. 2 Summer 1999. “The Alliance’s Strategic concept
approved by the Heads of State and Government participating in the