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Nato must prepare to launch pre-emptive nuclear
attacks to ward off the use of weapons of mass destruction by its
enemies, a group of former senior military officials has warned.
Calling for a major change to Nato's approach to
defending its members and their interests, the authors of the report,
which has been handed to Nato and Pentagon chiefs, said the
first-strike use of nuclear weapons was a "indispensable instrument".
The authors of the blueprint for reforming Nato are understood to
include Lord Peter Inge, the former British chief of the defence staff
and US General John Shalikashvili, the former Nato commander in Europe
and chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff.
"The risk of further proliferation is imminent and,
with it, the danger that nuclear war fighting, albeit limited in
scope, might become possible," the report said.
"The first use of nuclear weapons must remain in the
quiver of escalation as the ultimate instrument to prevent the use of
weapons of mass destruction."
The document reportedly includes Lord Inge's
comments on the controversy surrounding nuclear weapons policy: "To
tie our hands on first use or no first use removes a huge plank of
deterrence."
The report called for a wholesale reform of Nato and
a new pack between Nato, the US and the European union in order to
tackle modern military and terrorist threats to the West.
It warned the
spread of nuclear technology meant there was "simply no realistic
prospect of a nuclear-free world".
Terrorism, political fanaticism and religious
fundamentalism were major threats to the West, and organised crime,
climate change and migration on a mass scale posed dangers to the way
of life of Nato members.
The report's authors also cited the weakening of
global alliances, including the United Nations.
The authors have proposed major changes to the way
Nato operates, including abandoning consensus decision making so fast
action can be taken without the threat of vetoes and caveats imposed
by some nations.
They also called for military action without
ratification by the UN in cases where "immediate action is needed to
protect large numbers of human beings".
The report was compiled after authors were briefed
by senior serving military officials who are unable to speak publicly
about their concerns with Nato's military strategy.
The document may be discussed at a Nato summit in
Bucharest in April.
The other three authors are Klaus Naumann, a German
former military commander, Henk van den Breemen, a former Dutch
military official, and Jacques Lanxade, the former French admiral and
chief of defence. |