David Miliband

Foreign Secretary

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Thursday 05 February, 2009

Munich Security Conference

This article from the Atlantic Press Review Blog discusses some interesting comment pieces on NATO at 60. These are issues I'm grappling with at the moment. Tomorrow I make a speech  at the Wehrkunder Security Conference in Munich. Its about how NATO and the EU can deal with both conventional security threats within its borders, and the new global threats from terrorism, climate change and nuclear proliferation.  This is a great opportunity for Europe, NATO, and the world to think clearly and deeply about our common security. I look forward to a fascinating debate with many of the world's leaders in attendance.

Posted at 20:52 05 February 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

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Respected Sir The time has come for strong Action ,Action spk Louder then words , specially in feild of terrorism Wot we general public donot understand why world donot take action from root level eg if u close factory manufacturing weapons, plastic atomatically everything will come under control. super powers give naughty children money to spend they will spend in wrong place result we have seen in the world, stop funding let them go broke n then send them food n sellter, u will see less human violation. Under uk present govt & mr obama I am sure world is going in right direction. I would like to reqst look into our own house ''easy money many crime, hard money no crime'' ie 40s 50s60s70s

Posted by micky on February 06, 2009 at 12:49 AM GMT #

NATO was useful for us during the cold war but it is time to redevelop our partnerships. The UK must decide where we are part of the new Europe or whether we want to continue being a poodle to the USA. I believe the last 8 years has demonstrated that the USA is no longer our preferred partner. We have followed them into wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and why? Our hands are tied with how we deal with the Middle East. We are part of Europe whether we like it or not. Let us play our full role in Europe independently from the US. Europe will only work if we become a full member.

Posted by Paul Macdonald on February 06, 2009 at 08:33 AM GMT #

NATO 2.0 is a fascinating concept but ideological imbalances between the core EU powers except UK and the US will be the same as usual. US and UK are founded on internationalism and use more practical approaches to deal with global issues, whilst most of the EU powers do not share such a vision but believe in mere idealism. Commitment should come within but difficult to be planted from above. Democracies must find more refined new ways to deal with fourth generation war and the other global security threats. Efforts for this will sometime open up new ideological territories where both EU and the US can find more harmony on global security issues.

Posted by Chamila Liyanage on February 07, 2009 at 12:38 AM GMT #

Sir, Thank you very much indeed for reading and linking to Atlantic Review. Very much appreciated. I hope you had a good time in Munich.

Posted by Joerg Wolf on February 08, 2009 at 09:22 PM GMT #

Dear Sir, I posted earlier, but my post was too long. Here is an excerpt. The rest may be found by clicking on my signature below, which links to the full comment that I have cross-posted on Atlantic Review. --- If a panacea is the mythical universal cure, global warming is the anti-panacea, the mythical universal problem that all proposals and institutions must somehow speak to. Regardless of what one thinks of the science, why must every conceivable initiative on every conceivable topic purport to "address" global warming? Specifically, what on earth has NATO to do with global warming? Are we contemplating a military expedition to enforce the Kyoto treaty? Of course we're not. That would be foolish. The Kyoto treaty is meticulously honored...in the breach. Conventional wisdom holds that... continued

Posted by John in Michigan, USA on February 10, 2009 at 01:30 PM GMT #

Dear Sir, thank you for reading and linking to my post at Atlantic Review. I am glad you enjoyed it.

Posted by Kyle Atwell on February 17, 2009 at 07:16 PM GMT #

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