Is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization irrelevant? I am deeply disturbed by the way the alliance has treated Turkey in the last week. A number of members refuse to lend assistance just because Turkey has stated they would help us and provide bases should we invade Iraq. Now one could say that Turkey put themselves in that position by virtue of giving us support, therefore it is now a US obligation. But then I say, we have been carrying your sorry European asses for the last 50 years, so when are you going to pony up and do something besides let us defend you? No wonder Germany has such a thriving economy! They've let us defend them for 50 years and only fielded a token army. The French are as bad if not worse - they withdrew from NATO, tossed the headquarters out, contribute nothing to it, yet reap all the benefits of a NATO alliance. Scum sucking bottom dwellers.....