Speeches SACEUR’s address to the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies Links Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies

NATO’s role and credibility as a security provider in the post-cold war era will be judged by how we respond to emerging crises and, if committed, how well we perform in our operations.  And as NATO’s operational commander I can say that we are indeed performing admirably in our operations but that we face numerous challenges; external challenges as a function of our opposition and the situations in which we are engaged and internal challenges as a result of our policies and processes,” said General John Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, during a speech to The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies on the 20th of October. His speech was primarily focused on NATO’s role as security provider, the challenges NATO are facing and the operation in Afghanistan.

Here are some other quotes from the speech:

“The conflict in Afghanistan cannot be won by military means alone, we are just one member of a greater team.  The military must provide a safe and secure environment to enable the conditions for the government of Afghanistan and the international community to deliver good governance, reconstruction, and enduring development.”

“For this cooperative effort to succeed we in the international community must come together as part of a truly comprehensive approach.  The current effort remains disjointed in time and space. “

“The government of Afghanistan has the responsibility to tackle the narcotics problem but it cannot do it alone.  Numerous hurdles stand in the way. The nascent afghan counter-narcotics force is just that, nascent.  It is currently unable to conduct that essential mission autonomously but other parties of the international community can and must blur the borders and play a greater role.  NATO has the ability, with current means and capabilities in theatre, to make a tremendous impact.  The government of Afghanistan has asked NATO to increase its effort in this area and NATO’s political leaders have granted approval for ISAF to do so.”

“We need to continue to encourage the Pakistani authorities to take the necessary steps to prevent its territory from being used as a sanctuary, a training ground, or command and control centre for insurgent operations in Afghanistan and many other features.  We continue to work with the Pakistani militarily in the framework of the tripartite commission, a cooperative effort comprising military representatives from ISAF, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.  In my judgement a similar cooperative effort is needed in the political field also.”

“NATO is in a challenging period of transformation adapting to the realities of a changed Europe and a changed world.  Simultaneously we are conducting demanding and diverse operations on three continents.  We are taking important steps to complete the transformation from a static, reactive alliance focused largely on territorial defence to an expeditionary, flexible, visionary alliance that works with members and partners to anticipate, deter and defeat the range of 21st century threats confronting our collective security.”