Periscope inflation watch _________________
How Breadt. Explodes SINCE ANCIENT TIMES,
TWO - TIERED: Experts say nato’s disagreement over afghanistan is business as useal, not a sign of demise NATO FUTURE _____________
The Wimps and the Warriors
A
S NATO PREPARES FOR ITS The “two-tiered alliance,” with its SUMMIT next month in Bucharest, image of “wimps and wariors, may catchy phrase” but its nothing European governments are facing be new, retired Gen. James L. Jones, a high-stakes game of chicken. NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe from 2003 to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert 2006 and the man who oversaw Gates has warned that unless the extension of its Afghan misEuropean members increase sion. He says the United States has always “outcontributed” the their contributions to the war in members, and that disagreeAfghanistan, NATO risks becom- other ments over missions are natural ing a “Twotiered alliance,” divided among democracies. between the willing and unwilling Still, the future is unclear. Danto fight. iel Fata, the U,S. deputy assistant Gate’s message comes as secretary of Defense for Europian NATO is still struggling to redefine and NATO policy, says the alliance itself nearly 20 years after the col- emerged stronger from spirited delapse of the Soviet threat it was bate over Bosnia and will emerge designed to counter. The United stronger from the Afghan debate, States and Europe have been too. Some experts, however, trying to create a more flexible al- are now predicting that NATO is liance. destined to become what Charles Gates is, however, being unchar- Kupchan, former director Counacteristically melodramatic. NATO cil, calls an “alliance a la carte” in is an alliance of democracy, which which memebrs are freer to opt in will inevetably. Thats true of Ger- or out of missions. What no one many, one of the countries, which sees in NATO’s destruction- that will inevitably follow the will of their was probably just Gate’s way of own people first.”My instructions pushing Europe to do more. “Im from the secretary of Defense not concerned,”says Clark.”NATO were to take the least chalenging gets real cantankerons.” sector in Kosovo. - CHRISTOPHER FLAVELLE
Page 5
when Romans used bread and circuses to placate the plebes, flour shortages have been synonymous with revolt. Now with rising demand punishing up global grain costs, a growing list of rulers face bread rebellions. In Egypt, Affordable loaves have become so scarce that men have donned veils to sneak into shorter bread-line unrest will likely affect local council elections in April, with the hardline Muslim Brotherhood poised to benefit, says Steven A. Cook, Egypt expert at the Council on Foreign Relations. World Leaders would do well to remember: inflation hurts, but bread price inflation can kill. --- SETH COLTER WALLS
FLOUR POWER: Rising grain costs are causing global unrest
THE DIGIT France’s Champagne region may expand its boundaries this year to meet growing demand in markets like Russia (where consumption grew 41% in 2007) and the U.A.E. (up 10%)