THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 19, 1995 TAG: 9511170016
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
On Oct. 22, The Virginian-Pilot published an Associated Press article, ``NATO quickly searching for a successor to Claes,'' that stated, ``While NATO has 16 members, many cannot provide a secretary-general. These nations can reasonably be excluded right off the bat. The United States because it already provides NATO with its military leader. The current Supreme Allied Commander Europe is U.S. Gen. George Joulwan.''
I was concerned that AP didn't better understand the higher command structure of the alliance.
There are two major NATO commanders (MNCs), and both are American: The Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (SACLANT), and Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR).
Although the world's attention today is fixed on Bosnia, an operation under the command of SACEUR, no one should be in doubt that SACLANT is equally important for the effectiveness and cohesion of the alliance. As the principal maritime commander in what is a maritime alliance, he is the other half of the trans-Atlantic link and commands more than 1 million American servicemen and servicewomen. Some of these would form the U.S. element of the peace-implementation force in Bosnia.
CRAIG R. QUIGLEY
Captain, U.S. Navy
ACLANT chief of public information
Norfolk, Oct. 31, 1995 by CNB