NATO to tackle crucial issues

NATO leaders began negotiations on Afghanistan in Bucharest, Romania on Wednesday. It comes on the heels of a French offer of more troops, but public disagreement over the alliance's enlargement remains.

The United States must be feeling quite pleased that such a meeting is being held in the capital of a former Warsaw Pact member state. However, that is as far as Washington's joy is likely to go, because things might irk it when discussions begin on substantial issues.

If NATO is involved in any cooperation at present, Afghanistan is the only place that comes to mind. A number of countries' armed forces are currently involved in the "counter-terrorist" mission as part of the United Nations multi-national alliance. Many of them are NATO members.