France's Return to NATO is Key for the Future Success of the Alliance
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has reached out to the United States and is willing to bring France back into NATO, an offer America should seize, writes Dr. Ronald Asmus from the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) and member of the Atlantic Initiative Advisory Board.
In 1995 Presidents Chirac and Clinton came close to an agreement, but sudden political changes threw France back into traditional Gaullism. Sarkozy’s sympathy toward the United States is a rarity to be valued, and active backing of the bid is pivotal to prevent a similar outcome. French support could prove crucial to success in Afghanistan and future NATO endeavors, while friendship between Paris and Washington could improve American perceptions abroad.
Washington Post, October 29, 2007, Republished at the GMF
