European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 15, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Allies still look to . For leadership by Alan Riding new York times j ust As Washington was preparing to lower its profile in Europe in the new Post cold War Era the iraqi invasion of Kuwait has abruptly reminded Western Europe that it still looks to the United states to defend its vital Security interests. Even though Western Europe has at least As much at stake in the persian Gulf As the United states it has waited for the Bush administration to define the West s response to the crisis. It has then closed ranks behind Washington albeit allowing a the United states to assume the main risks and responsibilities. As a result the terms of the transatlantic relationship which had been slowly adjusting to the collapse of the Warsaw pact have once again changed. Experts now expect less questioning of Washington a leadership a More cautious approach to future military cuts and new demands for the modernization of the North Atlantic treaty organization. Quot the iraqi crisis has been a sobering experience Quot a european official at nato in Brussels said Quot it has demonstrated the limits of european Power and it has shown that Only the United states can a play the role of global  in this Case the United states has taken the Lead because nato is prohibited by its charter from operating of communism gives shape to a new Europe the United states would inevitably play a less dominant Security role than it has Over the last 45 years. Preparations were already under Way for the withdrawal of some american troops from Germany while the idea that Europe should assume greater responsibility for its own defense was gaining ground at the same time economic strength was feeding the european Community a Confidence to act independently on the world stage. Having lost its main reason for existence with the waning of the soviet threat nato was also busily trying to define a new role for itself. Some rations notably France even favored switching the political focus away from the 16-nation nato to the 35-nation conference on Security and cooperation in Europe where Washington s influence would be smaller. But now overnight Iraq s invasion of Kuwait has exposed Western Europe a inability or reluctance to project its Power much beyond its own Borders and having Long needed Washington to protect it from the soviet Union it now counts on the United states to tame a dictator who consolidated his Power thanks in part to european armaments and credits. Quot Only the americans can mount a Swift military response to a Challenge of this sort outside the nato  the. Independent a British newspaper said in an editorial on Friday. Quot Europe simply. O Only the americans can mount a Swift military response to a Challenge of this sort outside the nato area. A a the Independent British newspaper militarily outside Europe and North America but Washington has Pomti Day emphasized nato s continued relevance by using it As a forum for political consultations. On Friday Secretary of stale James a. Baker Iii went out of his Way to Brief nato foreign ministers on a the results of his trip to Turkey on thursday and on United states plans for forcing Imp to withdraw from Kuwait. Much As it did routinely during the cold War the Alliance then pledged support for Washington s strategy. In recent months the premise of debate at the Brussels Headquarters of nato and the 12-nation european Community has been that As the demise has to decide whether to tag along although its interests Are just As a threatened As those of the United states its defense remains in american  one nato member Turkey shares a Border with Iraq and if in is attacked nato is committed to coming to its defense. With most Western european countries heavily dependent on Oil imports from the Middle East escalation of the crisis would cause havoc to their economies until recently for instance Denmark obtained 54 percent of its Oil from Kuwait. Washington has nonetheless seen its allies follow its Lead Britain has  United suites led British prime minister Margaret Thatcher was in the United states for talks with president Bush when Iraq invaded Kuwait. Britain has joined the multinational Force defending saudi Arabia. Multinational Force protecting saudi Arabia. France stressing that it is acting independently and not As part of the multinational Force has sent an aircraft Carrier and five warships to the persian Gulf while Canada and Australia have announced that they too will Send naval vessels to the zone Spain the Netherlands and Belgium Are reportedly considering doing likewise. Even with no end to the iraqi crisis in sight nato and european Community officials said it had already provided several lessons not least that regional conflicts May be More Likely now that a soviet Union Bent on improving relations with the West has lost influence Over such former clients As Iraq. Nato officials also said that Iraq s aggression was certain to affect the current debate about military cuts and the so called Quot peace dividend Quot in Washington and Many Western european capitals. Quot a lot of people who were warning against rapid disarmament must to very Happy this has happened Quot an official said. For the european Community which was considering developing a Quot Security dimension Quot outside nato As part of its moves toward economic and political Union the crisis has raised fresh doubts about the viability of a new military organization that excludes the United states. The Western european Union a Security body comprising nine european nato members has so far ignored the iraqi conflict although it is to meet in pans later this month. In 1987, it coordinated warships from several european countries that were sent to protect Oil tankers in the persian Gulf. But it is not viewed As an alternative to nato. A european official said Europe would need Quot time hardware and organization Quot to build an Leq raid military Structure. Quot this would affect the american stake in Europe a a he said Quot and t Don t think anyone wants to see the americans leaving  the United states in contrast makes no secret of its View that Europe should contribute More to its own defense. Quot the irony is that we keep telling the europeans that we Don t want to act alone Quot an american official said. Quot wed be Happy if they did More. We would prefer it to be done through nato but we re not holding them  at the last nato Summit meeting in London in june the United states urged its allies to consider not Only a new political role for the Alliance but also new rules to enable it to address Quot out of area Quot conflicts that affect the Security of member states. Already the crisis has had telling effects on he trans Atlantic relationship France for instance has confirmed that it prefers to act alone rather than Bow publicly to Washington s leadership. West Germany the dominant european Power has also shown itself reluctant to 1 become involved in extra regional conflicts. A on the other hand prime minister Margaret Thatcher who has been visibly distressed to see Washington using Bonn As its main european interlocutor Over the last year has jumped at the Chance of demonstrating that great Britain remains the most steadfast ally of the United states. By Chance she was in the United states at the time of the iraqi invasion. Twice in four Days she could be seen co managing Quot the crisis with president Bush. And when she returned to London last week she immediately gave orders for Britain to join the United states in the multinational Force defending saudi Arabia. Page 16 a the stars and stripes wednesday. August 15, 1990