U.S. `Self-defense` Has Precedence over `Alliance`

U.S.`s movement to readjust basic tone of world security strategy attracts attention.

In the World Security Commission meeting from 1st to 3rd in Munchen, Germany, which representatives from 43 countries attended, U.S. proposed hard-line policies such as `self-protection has precedence over alliance` and `it is ready to act alone against terrorism` and `NATO should adapt itself to the new situation`.

This implies that taking President George W. Bush`s address of `axis of evil` and the war against terrorism as an opportunity, the U.S. is willing to shake off the yoke of `security alliance` with UN and NATO and act alone if it is required for national interest.

The U.S. has reportedly been dissatisfied with NATO members` disagreements on offshore dispatch of troops, since the U.S. had expected NATO to promptly decide to participate in the Afghanistan war.

However, European allied countries as well as Russia and China expressed their worry about the U.S.`s attitude, which may lead to conflicts on pending international security issues between the U.S. and most of the other countries.

▽`Self-protection Prior to Alliance` = In an address to the World Security Commission in Munchen on the 1st, Bush`s security assistant Richard Pearl said, "The U.S. is ready to act alone if necessary (to secure homeland from terrorism)." reported British BBC on the 2nd. U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said on the 2nd, "The U.S. will form various international alliances according to the goals that the U.S. promotes."

▽ Increase of National Defense Expenditures = Officials of the U.S. government said that President Bush will increase the national defense expenditure by 120 billion dollars for the next 5 years, for which he will urge the Congress. The U.S. national defense expenditure will then rise to 451 billion dollars by the 2007 fiscal year from 331 billion dollars in the 2002 fiscal year.

lailai@donga.com