My trip to the beautiful city of Brussels started with a 6AM wakeup call. I thought that Gare du Nord was 40+ minutes from my place in southern Paris, but it ended up being only 15 so in order to make my wait time a little more manageable, I drank 3 cups of coffee. Also to my amusement I scared the hell out of a guy in my program who wasn’t paying attention walking around with his Ipod. The last note about the train station was that the board that had all the train numbers and what location looked like a Rolodex and every few minutes the trains would change and the whole board would have a seizure. About half of the people in my program went ahead to Amsterdam before Brussels, so the number of people going on the train wasn’t very large, but still big enough to give the Luxembourgish army a good fight. The bullet train or so I imagined only took 1hr and 20 minutes to cross the German highway from Paris to Brussels. There was a bar on the train but it was so early in the morning that I wouldn’t even think to do that. Since I had all of that coffee, the only thing I did on the train was watch The Office on my Ipod. Oh the good times. Anyway we got to Brussels and found our way to the hotel which was a two-star budget hotel, but hey most of the others on the trip just got back from hostels from Amsterdam so the rooms looked like palaces.
We had sometime to explore the city before we went to NATO headquarters, so what was the first thing we did? Eat. A large contingent of Americans and French students went to McDonalds which seems to be a college student favorite here, but my friend and I wanted some ethnic Belgian food so we went to Sultans of Kebob. The only Belgian thing we ate that meal was a side of fries for Steve. After eating the takeout, we linked up with the other gets at McDo or how they call it here and proceeded to visit the most popular site in Brussels, the main square. The buildings were nice as seen above, but the day was miserable: raining, overcast, and cold for most of the day. We got out of the rain and went into a nice ethnic tavern in the square. We sat down for 10 minutes drying off before the waiter came and by the time he did upon hearing that we wanted a carafe of water he proceeded to kick us out of the restaurant. He said that this is not a pub and it’s a brasserie meaning that all 8 of you must order something to stay here and if you want water there is plenty outside. I know really witty right; there are reasons why economies have stagnant growth. Water is free in France and the French students that were with us are just naturally inclined to ask for a pitcher before ordering anything else. So with getting kicked out of a nice restaurant and the terrible weather the only things that could redeem our first impression of Belgium were the waffles and chocolates we consumed before NATO.
It took about 40 minutes to get from our hotel to the NATO compound that I would like to call it. We had to use the metro and bus system which was interesting because you would buy a ticket and then have to stamp it before getting on the train. Now there were no barriers requiring the ticket and it was up to you to stamp your ticket before getting on the train. Yes you could easily just walk on the train and use it for free, but if you are caught you will get a very hefty fine. Anyway back to NATO, there were car barricades outside and a gate guarded by rent-a-cops that made us put our cameras away. The only thing was aesthetically pleasing according to our American guide was the Death Star or the statue out in front of the building surrounded by the flags of all of the countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. We went through metal detectors and frisking because as you know American and French students can be very sketchy and probably want to bring down NATO. Just security protocol, but I guess they are more closed with their racial profiling than when you are in France. We proceeded to the visitor wing of the complex that virtually looked like a terrible college campus more than a military facility. Our conference room was nice and they equipped us with all kinds of trinkets. I was not impressed by the facility, but I was ecstatic to be at NATO headquarters. We had three lectures during the course of our stay: one on a basic introduction on NATO by an American civilian, one given by a retired US army colonel, and a third given by a retired French officer. My gist of all of the talks is as follows:
I came into the lectures happy that I was at NATO because I felt that it was an organization that wasn’t going to have much more of a lifespan. The Soviet Union fell and Europe is not really in danger anymore from an imminent threat. Every treaty and alliance falls apart but it is in the people’s best interest at NATO and in our best interest as Americans that it stays together. NATO includes the US, Canada, Turkey, and a good majority of European countries both in and out of the EU. Just recently many of the Warsaw Pact countries have joined showing their commitment to democracy and a free world. Going on, the main point was that NATO has to adapt and evolve from its original charter because of modern times and the new threats that lurk. Right now NATO is in charge of promoting security and stability in Afghanistan where it will both rebuild regions as well as fight against insurgents and the drug trade. The US colonel proceeded to tell us that the Taliban was being linked to Iran in terms of drug trade and arms deals and then proceeded to tell us that no country has volunteered to provide reconstruction in a major region along one of the countries western borders with Iran. I asked him well if there are none of these reconstruction teams there then are there any military forces in the region, even Afghan national army forces? He said no that they won’t even send their own people there…I wonder why they have the indicated problems with Iran if there is still a borderless frontier that provides a safe haven for Taliban, terrorists, and drug smugglers. The drug problem in Afghanistan is upsurd, 50% of their GDP is Opium. The US is trying to introduce other means of income for the farmers, but it’s hard because people don’t want to change and if they just napalm all of the crops then the country will implode economically. So basically it’s a mess, there is not only NATO in Afghanistan but also US forces from Operation Enduring Freedom that is carrying out continuing operations against insurgents in the south. Now don’t let the NATO make you think that America is off the hook because out of the total NATO forces deployed everywhere in the world, the US might represent 40-50% of those forces. And NATO is deployed all over the world as well: there are forces in Bosnia, a peacekeeping force/occupation force in Kosovo, training mission in Iraq, as well as a few others because NATO also does things like train African Union forces, bail out other countries in times of national disasters, and even airlift supplies into the United States as was done during Hurricane Katrina. Contrary to what people believe, France is part of NATO and is in fact in Iraq but not in a combative role. I want to end this commentary on NATO with the ending points of the American colonel. NATO defends Europe and unlike the EU under Article 5 if one country is attacked it’s considered an attack on all countries (Sept 11 and USS Cole/French tanker bombingà naval operations in the seas bordering Europe) Europe has 1.1 million troops in their standing armies combined. Commanders in Afghanistan are begging for more troops and saying that if they had them things would go smoother and their mission time will be reduced. Well they don’t have them and the US is overextended. So whose job is it? If NATO is the protector of Europe and in a sense a European army why don’t they provide more help in terms of troops and tanks and supplies? If Europe wants to distinguish itself and have itself be viewed as an equal by the US, than it better damn well be able to take care of itself and share some of the burdens on a more equal scale. He then ended the talk with a few scale figures. Europe has about 10 heavy duty long range cargo planes while the US has hundreds. There are more fighters on a single aircraft carrier than the entire Air Force of Belgium. There are about the same number of fighter jets in the US Marine corps and the British Royal Airforce. And the Marine Corps airforce is very small compared to the USAF or Navy Top Gun. It’s a matter of scale he said, the reason we bare must of the burden in all of the operations and what not. We have the capability to fight in other countries whereas Europe which has been solely taught in fighting close to home except countries that had colonies. I mean if the USSR and US fought where would the battleground be? Europe, thus they are not used to transporting their armies into the jungles and deserts on moments notice. Regardless of these scale realities, I think it’s abysmal that NATO doesn’t have enough troops because countries do not want to commit. It seems like they are more like an UN peacekeeping force except they actually do things like end the war in Kosovo or bomb the Serb army in Bosnia before it massacred more people. The one question I forgot to ask was why it took so long for NATO to intervene and stop the Balkan War in 1995 because thousands of Muslims were being slaughtered every time countries sat around and talked about making moves. Oh wait I know the answer to that question: the UN is incompetent and doesn’t have a pair. Don’t get me started on that issue because I could go all day.
Getting back to the trip, we concluded our NATO trip and ended up retiring to downtown Brussels for dinner. Everyone in my group of about 10 wanted mussels and other Belgian favorites so we went to a Belgian 50s diner if you could imagine. I actually had a beer and a milkshake with my meal. We ate more chocolate, took pictures because the weather cleared and proceeded to go to sleep because everyone was exhausted especially the ones who went to Amsterdam to do drugs and get hammered. The next day was like the rest dark and gloomy, which went along with the air of the movie I saw the night before, Windtalkers in French. Continental breakfast was a little weird with salami and ham served with bread and cheese, but food is always welcome. Of course I had more coffee and about three croissants because hey I have to stock up before I go back to the Dunkin Doughnuts croissants. Before entering the visitor part of the European Commission, we shall a procession of Belgian royal guards I assumed ride past in full uniform, fur hats, and some sort of spear with the Belgian flag on it. I can see why Panzers were such a huge problem. The commission was a little nicer, but I mean it’s hard to compare grey buildings, I guess one just had more windows and see-through walls. Our lectures at the commission were more boring because we had learned most of the stuff already but it was nice to see it presented differently. I can go into the European institutions a little later because this is already so long. The highlight of the afternoon though was the lunch on the tab of the French government. After the torture ended at around 5, we had two hours before we had to meet to get back on the train so we went to get dinner. We walked to this little section of Brussels that must have been their Greek street or something because there were about 8 different cafes lined up and when you walked down literally all of the storeowners came out and told you to sit down/begged for your business. One of the girls turned to me and said: now you know what it feels like to be a woman. We ate our cheap, but tasty Greek food and proceeded to go back to the hotel. I walked to the train station from the hotel because I ran out of money, but it was interesting because we walked through little Morocco on the way which was a little intimidating but I survived. Train came back to Paris and what is the first thing I do? Go to the nearest pub with my friend and watch Champions League soccer until Midnight. God I love Europe. Until the next time Belgium. Hopefully it will still be a country in the future because actually right now it might split into a French and a Flemish half. But let’s hope not because I’m sure that’s what Europe needs is another really small country.
We had sometime to explore the city before we went to NATO headquarters, so what was the first thing we did? Eat. A large contingent of Americans and French students went to McDonalds which seems to be a college student favorite here, but my friend and I wanted some ethnic Belgian food so we went to Sultans of Kebob. The only Belgian thing we ate that meal was a side of fries for Steve. After eating the takeout, we linked up with the other gets at McDo or how they call it here and proceeded to visit the most popular site in Brussels, the main square. The buildings were nice as seen above, but the day was miserable: raining, overcast, and cold for most of the day. We got out of the rain and went into a nice ethnic tavern in the square. We sat down for 10 minutes drying off before the waiter came and by the time he did upon hearing that we wanted a carafe of water he proceeded to kick us out of the restaurant. He said that this is not a pub and it’s a brasserie meaning that all 8 of you must order something to stay here and if you want water there is plenty outside. I know really witty right; there are reasons why economies have stagnant growth. Water is free in France and the French students that were with us are just naturally inclined to ask for a pitcher before ordering anything else. So with getting kicked out of a nice restaurant and the terrible weather the only things that could redeem our first impression of Belgium were the waffles and chocolates we consumed before NATO.
It took about 40 minutes to get from our hotel to the NATO compound that I would like to call it. We had to use the metro and bus system which was interesting because you would buy a ticket and then have to stamp it before getting on the train. Now there were no barriers requiring the ticket and it was up to you to stamp your ticket before getting on the train. Yes you could easily just walk on the train and use it for free, but if you are caught you will get a very hefty fine. Anyway back to NATO, there were car barricades outside and a gate guarded by rent-a-cops that made us put our cameras away. The only thing was aesthetically pleasing according to our American guide was the Death Star or the statue out in front of the building surrounded by the flags of all of the countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. We went through metal detectors and frisking because as you know American and French students can be very sketchy and probably want to bring down NATO. Just security protocol, but I guess they are more closed with their racial profiling than when you are in France. We proceeded to the visitor wing of the complex that virtually looked like a terrible college campus more than a military facility. Our conference room was nice and they equipped us with all kinds of trinkets. I was not impressed by the facility, but I was ecstatic to be at NATO headquarters. We had three lectures during the course of our stay: one on a basic introduction on NATO by an American civilian, one given by a retired US army colonel, and a third given by a retired French officer. My gist of all of the talks is as follows:
I came into the lectures happy that I was at NATO because I felt that it was an organization that wasn’t going to have much more of a lifespan. The Soviet Union fell and Europe is not really in danger anymore from an imminent threat. Every treaty and alliance falls apart but it is in the people’s best interest at NATO and in our best interest as Americans that it stays together. NATO includes the US, Canada, Turkey, and a good majority of European countries both in and out of the EU. Just recently many of the Warsaw Pact countries have joined showing their commitment to democracy and a free world. Going on, the main point was that NATO has to adapt and evolve from its original charter because of modern times and the new threats that lurk. Right now NATO is in charge of promoting security and stability in Afghanistan where it will both rebuild regions as well as fight against insurgents and the drug trade. The US colonel proceeded to tell us that the Taliban was being linked to Iran in terms of drug trade and arms deals and then proceeded to tell us that no country has volunteered to provide reconstruction in a major region along one of the countries western borders with Iran. I asked him well if there are none of these reconstruction teams there then are there any military forces in the region, even Afghan national army forces? He said no that they won’t even send their own people there…I wonder why they have the indicated problems with Iran if there is still a borderless frontier that provides a safe haven for Taliban, terrorists, and drug smugglers. The drug problem in Afghanistan is upsurd, 50% of their GDP is Opium. The US is trying to introduce other means of income for the farmers, but it’s hard because people don’t want to change and if they just napalm all of the crops then the country will implode economically. So basically it’s a mess, there is not only NATO in Afghanistan but also US forces from Operation Enduring Freedom that is carrying out continuing operations against insurgents in the south. Now don’t let the NATO make you think that America is off the hook because out of the total NATO forces deployed everywhere in the world, the US might represent 40-50% of those forces. And NATO is deployed all over the world as well: there are forces in Bosnia, a peacekeeping force/occupation force in Kosovo, training mission in Iraq, as well as a few others because NATO also does things like train African Union forces, bail out other countries in times of national disasters, and even airlift supplies into the United States as was done during Hurricane Katrina. Contrary to what people believe, France is part of NATO and is in fact in Iraq but not in a combative role. I want to end this commentary on NATO with the ending points of the American colonel. NATO defends Europe and unlike the EU under Article 5 if one country is attacked it’s considered an attack on all countries (Sept 11 and USS Cole/French tanker bombingà naval operations in the seas bordering Europe) Europe has 1.1 million troops in their standing armies combined. Commanders in Afghanistan are begging for more troops and saying that if they had them things would go smoother and their mission time will be reduced. Well they don’t have them and the US is overextended. So whose job is it? If NATO is the protector of Europe and in a sense a European army why don’t they provide more help in terms of troops and tanks and supplies? If Europe wants to distinguish itself and have itself be viewed as an equal by the US, than it better damn well be able to take care of itself and share some of the burdens on a more equal scale. He then ended the talk with a few scale figures. Europe has about 10 heavy duty long range cargo planes while the US has hundreds. There are more fighters on a single aircraft carrier than the entire Air Force of Belgium. There are about the same number of fighter jets in the US Marine corps and the British Royal Airforce. And the Marine Corps airforce is very small compared to the USAF or Navy Top Gun. It’s a matter of scale he said, the reason we bare must of the burden in all of the operations and what not. We have the capability to fight in other countries whereas Europe which has been solely taught in fighting close to home except countries that had colonies. I mean if the USSR and US fought where would the battleground be? Europe, thus they are not used to transporting their armies into the jungles and deserts on moments notice. Regardless of these scale realities, I think it’s abysmal that NATO doesn’t have enough troops because countries do not want to commit. It seems like they are more like an UN peacekeeping force except they actually do things like end the war in Kosovo or bomb the Serb army in Bosnia before it massacred more people. The one question I forgot to ask was why it took so long for NATO to intervene and stop the Balkan War in 1995 because thousands of Muslims were being slaughtered every time countries sat around and talked about making moves. Oh wait I know the answer to that question: the UN is incompetent and doesn’t have a pair. Don’t get me started on that issue because I could go all day.
Getting back to the trip, we concluded our NATO trip and ended up retiring to downtown Brussels for dinner. Everyone in my group of about 10 wanted mussels and other Belgian favorites so we went to a Belgian 50s diner if you could imagine. I actually had a beer and a milkshake with my meal. We ate more chocolate, took pictures because the weather cleared and proceeded to go to sleep because everyone was exhausted especially the ones who went to Amsterdam to do drugs and get hammered. The next day was like the rest dark and gloomy, which went along with the air of the movie I saw the night before, Windtalkers in French. Continental breakfast was a little weird with salami and ham served with bread and cheese, but food is always welcome. Of course I had more coffee and about three croissants because hey I have to stock up before I go back to the Dunkin Doughnuts croissants. Before entering the visitor part of the European Commission, we shall a procession of Belgian royal guards I assumed ride past in full uniform, fur hats, and some sort of spear with the Belgian flag on it. I can see why Panzers were such a huge problem. The commission was a little nicer, but I mean it’s hard to compare grey buildings, I guess one just had more windows and see-through walls. Our lectures at the commission were more boring because we had learned most of the stuff already but it was nice to see it presented differently. I can go into the European institutions a little later because this is already so long. The highlight of the afternoon though was the lunch on the tab of the French government. After the torture ended at around 5, we had two hours before we had to meet to get back on the train so we went to get dinner. We walked to this little section of Brussels that must have been their Greek street or something because there were about 8 different cafes lined up and when you walked down literally all of the storeowners came out and told you to sit down/begged for your business. One of the girls turned to me and said: now you know what it feels like to be a woman. We ate our cheap, but tasty Greek food and proceeded to go back to the hotel. I walked to the train station from the hotel because I ran out of money, but it was interesting because we walked through little Morocco on the way which was a little intimidating but I survived. Train came back to Paris and what is the first thing I do? Go to the nearest pub with my friend and watch Champions League soccer until Midnight. God I love Europe. Until the next time Belgium. Hopefully it will still be a country in the future because actually right now it might split into a French and a Flemish half. But let’s hope not because I’m sure that’s what Europe needs is another really small country.
No comments:
Post a Comment