American force reductions in Europe were justified in view of the demise of the Soviet Union, GEN Joulwan said. Europe and the world, however, are still dangerous places and there is still a critical need for forward-deployed U.S. forces in Europe, he added. There continues to remain a great deal of uncertainty and instability in the former members of the Warsaw Pact. Russia, too, is in a period of transition. There are still 20,000 nuclear warheads in the former Soviet republics.
Ethnic strife plagues the continent.
The Balkans continue to simmer. North Africa continues to pose challenges. Terrorism is now a growing threat and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction unfortunately becomes more dangerous every day. NATO is adapting to meet today's and tomorrow's challenges, GEN Joulwan said. Forging partnerships and building trust with former enemies is part of NATO's strategy for stability in Europe.