Bye, Bye Old Europe?

A few years ago, while trying to drum up support for the war in Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld negatively referred to France and Germany (who opposed going to war) as Old Europe and places like Lithuania and Poland as New Europe (in a positive sense). This changing of Pentagon policy was further reflected in Rumsfeld's latest overseas tour where he did not visit France or Germany, and instead focused on talks with the newest members of NATO. Rummy also visited South Korea, where he encouraged the South Koreans to end their dependence on US military protection. The other two stops were in China and Mongolia. China certainly has long-term interests that are not necessarily favorable toward the US, but it was encouraging that Rumsfeld and top aides were able to tour the Second Artillery, where China's nuclear missiles are held (they were the first foreigners to do so). Mongolia, home of the famed Genghis Khan, will be visited by Bush in a few weeks, and will mark the first time a US president has visited the country. Mongolia has shown favor to the war on terror.

All of this to say that strategy is shifting. No longer are the traditional Cold-War allies and defense plans going to work. Through the leadership of Rumsfeld, Washington is shifting its strategy to one that reflects the challenges of modern national-security. Hello Asia! Hello Middle East! Good-bye Europe (sort of...).