Fresh from his meeting last week with Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, the supreme allied commander for Europe, U.S. Army General Wesley K. Clark, spoke at the Kennedy School Monday night, Jan. 25. Clark talked about Kosovo, the challenges facing NATO, and what the future holds for the alliance as it marks its 50th anniversary this year.

Speaking to an audience of faculty, students, military fellows, and researchers from the Boston area, the general emphasized the enduring relationship between the United States and Europe and the common heritage that they share. Outlining how American prosperity is linked with Europe -- U.S. trade with Europe is greater than with Japan and Canada combined -- and how the U.S. looks first to its European allies for support for diplomatic actions around the world, Clark discussed the dismantling of the former Soviet Union and the subsequent renewed nationalism in Eastern Europe.

As the guests of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and the National Security Program nodded in agreement, Clark reiterated how a generation of Americans believed that the Cold War would shape national security strategy through their grandchildren's lifetimes. But the landscape has changed dramatically -- beyond what the experts could have predicted -- which raises questions about NATO's role now and in the future.

Underscoring that NATO's challenge has been to adapt to a security environment drastically different from the one in which it was created, the supreme allied commander said that NATO forces -- including ground forces -- must be available and ready for engagement in Kosovo. He emphasized that U.S. ground forces would be required as part of the NATO team with the goal of restoring autonomy in Kosovo. The real challenge in the region, Clark said, is to move ahead with the task of civilian reform, and that cannot be accomplished without military presence and the security necessary to create a climate where progress can be made. He emphasized that the key to the region is Serbia, concluding that there is much to be done, though no one can accurately predict a precise time frame.

Even though NATO has made significant progress in the Balkans by reducing fighting, separating warring factions, supporting political restructuring, and securing four sets of nation wide elections -- while at the same time decreasing the number of troops committed there - -much hard work remains.

NATO, an alliance of 16 members, will grow to 19 this year with the addition of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. General Clark believes that NATO should keep the door open for future enlargement, strengthen the Partnership for Peace, and retain its warfighting and peacekeeping capabilities. He said further that the demand for military professionalism and skills is greater today than it ever was during the Cold War. The current standard for operations is high -- both error- and casualty-free. Adequate and predictable resources are crucial to achieving these goals; the bedrock, said Clark, is the men and women in uniform.