Manley said he also raised concerns about how U.S. defence plans would relate to China and also to space. NATO officials said they expect to cut about 10 per cent to 15 per cent in the peacekeeping force of 21,000. Canada and the United States are among the countries with peacekeeping forces there. NATO leaders also expressed alarm at rising violence and political instability in Macedonia. Some people see it as more immediate than others.
Some people see it as greater than perhaps others.
But I don't think there's any question that there's some sort of threat out there. It's not just weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles that are threats to peace and stability, including to the North American continent. If it contributes to greater risks because it provokes an arms race, then it can be a bad thing. Tuesday's vote doesn't make the job any easier for Bush administration officials to sell the plan. Rumsfeld will try again next week when he meets with NATO defence ministers.