The Lisbon NATO summit

The Lisbon NATO summit has been hailed a success by many, particularly in Europe. But some problems remain, as General Brent Scowcroft, former national security advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush points out:

But as General Scowcroft suggests, perhaps the biggest threat to
NATO’s survival as a meaningful collective-defense organization is to
be found within NATO’s own borders in the falling defense budgets in
many European countries and a growing public indifference towards the
military and relevance in the 21st century.

“The key test for NATO now, for … the nations and NATO’s military
leaders, is whether they will provide the resources, forces,
equipment, and training the concept makes clear are required to carry
out the three tasks” the Alliance adopted, says General Scowcroft, who
is also chairman of the international advisory board of the Atlantic
Council, a Washington think tank focused on North Atlantic affairs.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/1121/Cold-war-era-fades-further-as-Russia-NATO-agree-to-reset-relations