Argh! Yanukovich wins in Ukraine!

[Aaron]

The UN relying on regional organizations for specialized assistance has been a commonly accepted feature of International politics for a while now.

No I mean that NATO specifically became the muscle, for virtually any operation of importance. That was how they kept their relevance, which makes sense given it's the largest body of properly trained troops around.

[Sidewinder]

Russian-Ukrainian war?

Yeah, that can happen quite easily - a little more nationalist (maybe even neo-nazi) fervor, a little more outlawing the Russian language, a little more "NATO BASE IN CRIMEA NOW" and you can have Crimea seceding, because it's full of Russians AND communists at the same time.

From what I understand, most of NATO's new members joined because they thought membership put them on the fast track to:

1) Get billions of dollars in aid from the US,

2) Get a foot in the door to the European Union, which they believe will allow them to reap the benefits of free trade, and more $$$,

3) Foster nationalism and a sense of independence, or at least a "clean slate" from their pasts as Communist nations whose own government robbed them (tough luck, as many of these corrupt officials are still in power, after shuffling chairs and changing titles).

I can understand some of the reasons others are reluctant to join NATO:

1) They have their own problems with separatist movements, and after NATO's intervention in Kosovo, they fear the organization would intervene in their affairs,

2) Their geographical position makes Russia their biggest trade partner, diminishing the allure of closer ties to the EU.

[K. A. Pital]

NATO and EU are separate bodies. Entering the EU is possible without entering NATO, I believe.

Maybe Ukraine and Georgia want some US military aid though, yeah - considering the terrible state of their armed forces.

[Teebs]

NATO and EU are separate bodies. Entering the EU is possible without entering NATO, I believe.

Yup, Malta, Cyprus, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Ireland are all IIRC correctly EU members but not part of NATO.

[Thanas]

However, the USA is exercising pressure on the EU to put nato members on the fast track for EU membership.

[Siege]

Membership of the EU and NATO for many nations does have similar benefits; NATO membership comes with an explicit treaty clause spelling out that you'll have a bunch of guys rush to your side in case you get attacked, and it's a fair bet the EU won't look very favourably upon outsiders conducting military action against a member state either. Both organizations offer some degree of protection from Big Bad Mother Russia then.

Of course this is also exactly the reason why both organizations are hesitant to expand any further east -- quite apart from how it upsets the Kremlin I imagine neither the EU nor NATO wants a nation like Georgia or Ukraine as a member, not with all the obvious headaches and lack of benefits such a membership would bring.

Besides, the USA can pressure all it wants but considering how difficult it is for Turkey to get a membership in the EU despite over fifty years in NATO, that pressure sure doesn't seem to accomplish much so far.

[Sidewinder]

Maybe Ukraine and Georgia want some US military aid though, yeah - considering the terrible state of their armed forces.

I recall a throwaway line from an American political commentator, who objected to Georgia becoming a NATO member, due to fears Georgia might use membership to get NATO- specifically, American- military support in suppressing Abkhazian and Ossetian separatists.