The press conference kicked off a tour of the U.S. featuring leading European, Russian, American and Canadian policy experts who believe the NATO expansion plan is fatally flawed and inherently dangerous to U.S. and global security. Citizens groups, alarmed by the lack of debate on NATO expansion and the 'insider deal' mentality of the State Department and Congress, are determined to start the much needed national debate. I have immensely enjoyed my three years as CDI's director. There have been some successes and more than a few frustrations as we have attempted to help inform and educate Americans both inside and outside the Washington Beltway. Unfortunately, military and foreign policy issues are far from being at the top of the national agenda.
Much more attention is given to far less important subjects.
In this mood of national neglectfulness there is a near complete absence of public debate on some very important issues. This means that decisions are being made by bureaucrats and special interests. Nowhere is this problem better demonstrated than in the current rush of the United States to expand the NATO military alliance into Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The Clinton Administration has made this one of its main foreign policy goals and the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on ratification of expansion in early March. The first three countries up for membership are Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.