Re: Article 5

[nerfherder@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

> > can we, The US, expect? Are we talking the formation of an 
offical NATO 
> > anti-terrorist team, something akin to Rainbow 6, or actual 
armor and grunts 
> > to go in and help dig out the baddies?
> 
> Short answer: WHATEVER THE HELL WE NEED.

The full text of the Treaty can be found at 
http://www.nato.int/docu/basictxt/treaty.htm

Article 5 states:
"The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of 
them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack 
against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an 
armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of 
individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 
of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or 
Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in 
concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems 
necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and 
maintain the security of the North Atlantic area. "

> 
> The US, for all that it takes a beating in the international 
press, has
> a few friends out there; the UK, France, Germany, etc.  I've 
got very
> little doubt that if Bush calls the British PM up and 
says, "y'know,
> we'd really like to have some of your subs in the area 
shadowing our
> fleet", that we'll get a British sub shadowing our fleet, or 
German
> armor units, or French Foreign Legionnaires, or... etc.
> 
> In the country's time of greatest need, we are soon going to 
discover
> just how great are our friends.

I think you'll find a great deal of empathy, solidarity and 
support from the country that suffered thousands of civilian 
casualties during the Blitz and by terrorist attacks since.
And this is before you take into account the fact that there 
have been nearly 100 confirmed British deaths (and likely to be 
hundreds more) in the US.

My sympathy and best wishes to the victims, their family and 
friends in this tradgedy.

Liam