George W. Bush and the Future of NATO

Making News

Helping Wall Street, Main Street with the Mortgage Crisis ()

In his first public appearance since the Bear-Stearns bailout, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress today did not use the word "recession." He did present a sober assessment of the economy, and urged quick action on the housing crisis. Kevin Hall covers economics for the McClatchy Newspapers.

Guests:

• Kevin Hall: National Economics Correspondent, McClatchy Newspapers, @KevinGHall

Links:

• Hope Alliance

Main Topic

The NATO Summit in Bucharest ()

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance was formed 59 years ago after the end of World War II.  Its mission is often described as avoiding World War III by keeping the Germans down, the Russians out and the Americans in. It succeeded. The Cold War is over, and NATO membership has grown from twelve countries to 26. Most US allies wanted to wait until the sixtieth anniversary next year, but President Bush wanted another summit before he left office, and he's now in Bucharest, Romania for three days of meetings. He wants more NATO troops in Afghanistan, more member nations, and approval of applications from Ukraine and Georgia. Russia's President Putin could not ignore that challenge, and it's not expected to happen. We look at the prospects for Afghanistan. Is the alliance itself becoming a two-tier institution, with some members letting others do the heavy lifting? Has NATO outlived its usefulness?

Guests:

• Robert Hunter: former US Ambassador to NATO
• Mark Laity: Spokesman, North Atlantic Treaty Organization
• Julianne Smith: Director of the Europe Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Barry Posen: Professor of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Reporter's Notebook

San Francisco Supervisors to Greet Torch with 'Alarm and Protest' ()

On its way from ancient Olympia to Beijing, the Olympic torch will touch down just once in North America, in a city that's one third Chinese American—and where city officials are sharply divided between welcome and protest. Mayor Gavin Newsome says San Francisco has scrapped plans for the torch to ride a cable car, cross the Golden Gate Bridge and visit Alcatraz Island. It will be carried from Fisherman's Wharf to the Ferry Building in about 90 minutes. Newsome opposed a resolution, passed 8-to-3 by the Board of Supervisors, resolving to greet the torch with "alarm and protest" over Tibet, Darfur, and human rights in China.  John Glionna is San Francisco Bureau Chief for the Los Angeles Times.

Guests:

• John Glionna: San Francisco Bureau Chief, Los Angeles Times