How would you sell
NATO to Americans?
For most people in America,
since there is such a small
percentage of folks actively serving,
they don’t really get that connection
with how NATO impacts your life.
Sometimes even how the rest
of the world can impact your life with.
What was going on in Greece,
with the economy there,
what happened to the stock market,
it’s difficult,
again the sense of isolationism
when you’re worried about your
economy, again, mortgage payment,
whether I’m going to keep my job,
to sort of look outside that.
So it’s a hard question to answer.
There is going to be
a segment of the US
that will not opt in
to issues around NATO.
They are more concerned
about getting a job,
they are more concerned
about their health care, or whatever.
And I think that’s OK. I’m not...
Certainly people should
not be forced to know something.
But what I think it means is that
people who agree with the mission
and the values
of an alliance like NATO,
just ought to keep talking about it
and keep discussing it.
And that comes from... A lot of people
say that comes from politicians.
It comes from more than that,
because most of us don't know,
many people may not care
to know politicians.
It really comes from talking
with your friends and co-workers.
Well, I would stress
the long cultural ties
between the US and Europe that go
back 400 years, 500 years or more.
A lot of American heritage
comes from the European continent.
That is a message, I think, that
resonates with a lot of Americans.
And then the second thing I would
say is that the European countries
that are part of the alliance
with the United States
have been some of America’s
best and most reliable allies.
I think I’d simply point out
relentlessly
that those allies are part of NATO,
that they are NATO.
And that the military effectiveness
of our country is made much greater
because of the command and
control agreements, the standards,
the common acquisition policies
that NATO has made possible.
But that means
they have to mention NATO
whenever they make
these statements,
and I don’t know how likely that is.