A short fuse on America's missile defences?

"THE job of NATO used to be straightforward," The Economist said recently. "Keep the Americans in, keep the Germans down and the Russians out." Things look rather different now: Germany is on the rise, the Russians are involved in discussions about security policy, and there are lingering questions about America's policy in eastern Europe with the Bush administration in its twilight months. Today comes news on one of the thorniest issues facing NATO: America's controversial plans for missile defence bases in eastern Europe, including interceptor rockets planned for Poland an a tracking radar in the Czech Republic. After meetings in Prague, Condoleeza Rice has just signed a deal with the government to set up the radar, despite fierce objections from much of the Czech public. It is not a done deal yet: the accord must be... [read full story]