No new Nato memberships

Albania and Croatia joined Nato on Wednesday. The left-liberal Süddeutsche Zeitung writes that these will be the last countries to join for a long time. "Of course no one can stop Nato from having other countries join its ranks, just as you can't prohibit states from trying to join. But Nato would not be heightening their security by feeding Russian fears of Western dominance. ... Nato doesn't need new members at the moment. What it needs is improved relations with Moscow. The alliance needs the help of Russia if it is to emerge from the war in Afghanistan more or less unscathed. And without Russian help it will not be able to dissuade Iran from developing nuclear arms. Nato and Russia are united by the need to prevent global nuclear proliferation. These should be Nato's priorities, and not acquiring new territories that will increase its problems but not its security."

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