NATO Only a Partial Victory for Obama

3,000 soldiers to protect Afghani elections, 2,000 instructors for the army, the accession of Croatia and Albania, and agreement on the new secretary-general: the results of the 60th NATO summit in Strasbourg-Kehl are only half successful for Barack Obama, who collected the allies’ approval for his new strategy in Afghanistan but didn’t receive any more troops to fight.

Obama explained that the result of the summit at Palaiz de la Musique et Des Congres was the allies’ concrete commitment to protect the elections on August 20 by providing 5,000 soldiers and instructors. Of utmost importance to Washington is the launch of “NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan” that, using successes in Iraq as a model, will organize the training of troops and local police to allow for an exit strategy in the long term.

For this purpose 70 teams with NATO instructors will be created and attached to Afghani units – supported by funds worth 100 million dollars – to bring the total to 134,000 soldiers. Italy will provide 300 more soldiers for the elections, with 100 carabinieri, 2 cargo planes and 3 rescue helicopters. But Obama’s goal to secure more fighting troops wasn’t realized: After providing another 17,000 troops in addition to the 38,000 that are already on the ground, Washington expected contributions from the allies, but they never arrived.

Barack defended the decision, saying that all of the NATO states already have troops in danger zones, and the instructors they will provide are just important as fighting troops. What was most important for the president during the summit was to secure NATO’s support for his strategic plans for the Afghani reconstruction, fighting the Taliban and putting pressure on Pakistan.

It’s the second time in less than 48 hours that Obama has declared himself satisfied with incomplete success: At the G20 in London he only obtained more funds for the IMF instead of the desired plan for global economic stimulus.

Leading the world means knowing how to create alliances, so it’s better to project the image of an administration determined to work together rather than imposing his own agenda, like his predecessors did. Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy want to keep this balance with America. The German chancellor speaks of Afghanistan as “a test for all of us” and the French president adds that they’re “playing a part in the world’s freedom.” Both statements practically quote Obama. The three leaders also agree on asking Kabul to revise the law that allows rape in marriage and Hamid Karzai has reassured them that “it will be changed.”

Obama stresses the importance of multilateral themes: the return of France in the military structure, the admission of new members Albania and Croatia and leaving the door open for others, and the renewal of relations with Russia. To prove his decision to strengthen the alliance, Obama personally committed to solve the problem of the new secretary-general: He had a discussion with Rasmussen and Turkish President Gul, becoming a “guarantor,” according to Prime Minister Erdogan in Ankara. The current United States National Security Advisor James Jones said that he knew Turkey was ready to drop the veto when “I saw Gul smiling at Obama.” Ankara, in exchange for its consent – previously denied because Rasmussen defended the Danish newspaper that published the Muhammad cartoons – is likely to have gained a commitment from NATO to fight Kurdish terrorism and allow Turkey’s officials into high levels of the alliance.