American military stretched to the limit, now the pressure is on NATO

US demands on the Nato alliance are growing more onerous as the American military struggles to meet global commitments. And Nato, which lost an evil empire and failed to find a role, is feeling the strain. This week's US proposal to integrate Nato's peacekeepers in Afghanistan with US combat troops fighting the "war on terror" there is a case in point. Germany and France, which jointly lead the 9,000-strong International Security and Assistance Force in Kabul, rejected the idea. They do not want their soldiers under US command. And they suspect the US would use a merger as cover for troop withdrawals. But as usual with its Nato initiatives, the US expects to get its way. Undaunted, US ambassador Nicholas Burns said he wants a blueprint on the table by next February. [more ]

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