Chris Smith: “all sides including the administration, envision the eventual expansion of NATO. The problem is that the administration…”

“all sides including the administration, envision the eventual expansion of NATO. The problem is that the administration has been unwilling to spell out in clear terms what conditions candidates would have to meet. This ambiguity does not serve any good purpose and, in fact, plays into the hands of the Russians who want to block any expansion. Let me remind Members and assure Members the bill does not mandate that the countries listed or any others would be invited to even join NATO. There is a separate process for that. The process for expansion is qualified by article 10 of the NATO treaty. There is a specific process for that. We are talking about a program to assist in the transition. I urge Members to read on page 69 the kinds of things we are talking about that we would like to see happen: shared values and interests, democratic governments, free market economies, civilian control of the military, and so on and so forth. Let us not just be passive and reactive. I believe we need to be proactive for the sake of security for Europe and for the rest of the world.”