The PNAC/NATO Coven

[Excerpt from "NATO: THE BATHTUB OF UNREADINESS, by Sarah Meyer, posted at Bill Giltner's blog.]

One of the key Project of the New American Century (PNAC)1 documents is Building America's Defenses. The thrust of the large section, Building Today's Armed Services,2 is about the "bathtub of unreadiness."3

The PNAC document expresses the need to build up all branches of the armed forces in order to obtain "long term political or regime change,4 global expansion and security, for which a huge extended budget is required as the "American security perimeter expands." 5

This 'bathtub of unreadiness' includes NATO.

"Further, improvements should be made to existing air bases in new and potential NATO countries to allow for rapid deployments, contingency exercises, and extended initial operations in times of crisis. … Some of the cost could be covered, it is suggested, by the host nation or NATO."6

"Until the process of transformation is treated as an enduring mission – worthy of a constant allocation of dollars and forces – it will remain stillborn."7

NATO's 'transformation', a favoured word in PNAC documents - and used frequently by Rumsfeld and his coven - was already taking place as early as 1996. The U.S. Committee on Nato was founded in that year by Bruce Jackson and Greg Craig. Originally, it was called 'The U.S. Committee to Expand NATO'. After its disbandment in 2003, it became the 'Project on Transitional Democracies' – in the same office. In 2003-04, 'The Project on Transitional Democracy' received 6 grants 8 totalling £229,400.

Bruce Jackson is still in his office. His revolving door swings around the Defense Department, Lehman Brothers, various 'think tanks,' and 'non-profit' affiliations. From 1993 – 2002, he was the Vice President for Strategy and Planning at Lockheed Martin.

The lobbyist, Randy Scheunemann, another PNACer, was also still (2003) in this office. In 2001, he was a consultant on Iraq policy in Rumsfeld's office, and has been on various congressional committees. He was, for a year, president of Mercury, who handled Lockheed Martin and various gun-related businesses / lobbies. Julie Finley was also a founding member who was still in this office in 2003. All three have been involved with the Committee for the Liberation (sic) of Iraq. "People in the White House said, 'We need you to do for Iraq what you did for NATO'", Jackson said.

Connections with the U.S. Committee on NATO included PNACers Paul Wolfovitz, Richard Perle, Gary Schmitt and Robert Kagan. Kagan's wife is Victoria Nuland. Nuland is an accomplished woman. At present, she is the US Ambassador to NATO. From 2000 - 2003, she was a foreign policy advisor to Cheney. Prior to this, she was internationally active. ...