Beyond the gates: Europe-based NATO reaches deep into Asia, Africa.

• Author: Kennedy, Harold
• Position: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

U.S. and allied military forces in Europe--grappling with a lengthy, global war on terrorism--are expanding their reach far beyond their traditional perimeters, deep into Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.

Both the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the U.S. European Command are "undergoing the most fundamental change in their history" in response to the war on terrorism, U.S. Marine Gen. James Jones recently told defense writers in Washington, D.C. He acknowledged, however, that NATO's efforts in particular are being slowed by a lack of resources.

Jones is both NATO's supreme allied commander, Europe, and the head of the European Command.

"There's been a change in our cultural mindset that is as important as our changing physical capability," Jones said. "We have a more rapid decision-making capability and more expeditionary forces."

This past fall, the new NATO Response Force, or NRF, conducted its first two operations, humanitarian missions to airlift assistance for victims of the earthquake in Pakistan and Hurricane Katrina.

The NRF was established in 2003 as an elite force of land, air, sea and commando components that can deploy quickly anywhere in the world. When it reaches full operational capability in October, plans call for it to number 21,000 troops and be able to deploy with five days' notice.

In Afghanistan, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force gradually is assuming responsibility for establishing order throughout the country.

ISAF is scheduled this month to take over responsibility for the southern region of the country. ISAF has 8,000 combat troops from 36 nations.

NATO has declined to contribute combat forces in Iraq, but it has begun training Iraqi security officers. In September, NATO Secretary/General Jaap de Hoop raised the alliance's flag over the organization's new training mission headquarters inside Baghdad's international zone. In that facility, NATO intends to train approximately 700 Iraqi officers this year. Several hundred more will be trained in Europe. The alliance also is providing military equipment to Iraq, including 77 Hungarian T-72 battle tanks.

In North Africa, NATO is supporting the African Union peacekeeping mission to Darfur, Sudan. In September, the North Atlantic Council, which sets NATO policy, decided to continue airlifting African Union peacekeepers into Darfur until March 31.

In nearby Kosovo, nearly 18,000 NATO troops, including 1,800 Americans, continue to enforce compliance...