Well, it’s NATO weekend here in Chicago. After months of preparation, millions of dollars of spending on security in the Second City (which is essentially bankrupt), and one inconvenience after another to citizens–for whose benefit this event is supposedly being organized–all manner of protesters, anarchists, and other seekers of television face-time have arrived to register their displeasure with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
They were all ready to protest the G-8 summit, too, but President Obama wisely decided to move it to the more secure Camp David. Mayor Emanuel, however, would not be denied and has his NATO prize–presumably to enhance his resume for a possible presidential run in the future. I think he’s dreaming, whether or not the meetings go off without a hitch.
Why are these miscreants protesting NATO, anyway? NATO doesn’t really do anything, does it? All I can think of on its resume are its role in restraining the now-defunct Soviet Union from taking over Western Europe, in defeating Slobodan Milosevic in the former Yugoslavia, and in overthrowing Moammar Gadhafi in Libya (with Mr. Obama “leading from behind”). Oh, yes, NATO has participated in the Afghan war, but I can’t think of anything else. So it looks like the anti-NATO protesters are actually for a fine assortment of the world’s dictators, thugs, and religious fanatics.
And I thought they were speaking for “the 99 percent”!
