[R-G] NATO a puppet for U.S. agenda, protesters say

[Anthony Fenton]

NATO a puppet for U.S. agenda, protesters say
space
Peace groups to rally today against military committee meeting in  
Victoria

space
space
Canadian Press

Saturday, September 8, 2007 – Page A10

VICTORIA -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization serves no useful  
purpose in the role it plays today and protesters this weekend will  
stress that point, a spokesman for a protest coalition said yesterday.

"We're saying it no longer has any rationale for its existence the  
way it's being used these days," said Phil Lyons, a spokesman for a  
coalition of peace groups.

While NATO leaders plot strategy this weekend in Victoria, the  
protesters plan a mass rally starting at noon in front of the  
legislature, a short distance from the meeting.

"Remember it's their forces that usually create the violence ... it's  
not necessarily, and very seldom, the people protesting that create  
violence."

Mr. Lyons also had an ominous warning if the protesters aren't  
allowed to demonstrate peacefully: "If the police decide they're  
going to clear people up, [people are] going to fight back."

NATO's military committee of 26 generals are gathering for what  
spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Tony White said will be a session  
discussing the organization's current and future operations.

Col. White said Afghanistan will be a topic on the agenda but it's  
not the main item. The focus this weekend is larger than any single  
war zone, he said.

"The discussions are going to be very strategic. It's going to be  
about how does NATO prepare itself and have the right capabilities  
for today, but more importantly, for future operations."

Mr. Lyons predicted "bus loads" of people would gather at the  
legislature grounds for the "No to NATO" rally.

The coalition wants NATO to disband because it says it is no longer a  
defence force, but is instead a puppet of the United States, he said.

"NATO, which had some reason perhaps when it was first formed, some  
defensive reason, is no longer a defensive force. It's a force that  
uses its strength to follow the Americans' dictates in their attempts  
to build an empire."

NATO forces have been responsible for much human suffering throughout  
the world, he said.

"Essentially, they're using some of the worst armaments that have  
ever come along in terms of damaging the civilian populations of  
those countries," he said, referring to Kosovo and Afghanistan.

The meeting takes place in the midst of a growing tension over the  
increasingly bloody war in Afghanistan.

General Ray Hénault, chairman of NATO's military committee and former  
chief of Canada's defence staff, said the alliance has not received  
formal notice from the federal government that it intends to end its  
combat commitment as scheduled in February, 2009.

He said the alliance anticipates there will be changes but has not  
begun the formal process of scouting out replacement nations.

Last week, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Canada's current  
mission in its current "configuration" will be over in 2009.