The Eisenhower lecture was instituted to commemorate General Eisenhower whose decision it was to create the NATO Defense College and is one of the pivotal lectures in the College curriculum. On 14 April the NDC was privileged to receive His Excellency Mr Stewart Eldon CMG OBE to deliver the Eisenhower lecture; Ambassador Eldon is the United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council and having attended the recent Strasbourg/Kehl Summit, was able to offer particularly relevant and up to date words for the College.
Ambassador Eldon provided a wide ranging and challenging lecture to a combined audience of SC 114 and the NRCC entitled ‘NATO in the Next Decade’. Topics covered included the NATO Strategic Concept, the Comprehensive Approach (CA), Global Threats and Challenges in the 21st Century, Afghanistan, French reintegration in to NATO Command Structures, and the tensions between Article 5 and Expeditionary Operations – to name but a few. All these issues are studied in depth by the NDC and Ambassador Eldon’s lecture caught the attention and imagination of the audience superbly. In particular, ideas such as NATO’s potential future ability to deliver ‘Civil Effect’, either in conjunction with other organisations or in limited cases for itself were discussed at length, as well as the need for clarity and purpose in any new NATO Strategic Concept. The audience needed little encouragement during the Q & A session with questions covering a host of NATO issues. Numerous supplementary questions were offered from the floor to further develop certain themes. Throughout the Q&A, Ambassador Eldon offered expert thoughts in response, stressing the positive Strasbourg/Kehl Communiqué and the focused intention to develop work towards a new NATO Strategic Concept with help from a ‘Group of Senior Experts.’. Difficulties and differences of opinion were frankly and candidly discussed as were the clear challenges for the future. The overall impression from the day was of positive and necessary progress being made as NATO moves forward in the next 10 years, with some provocative ideas for the respective courses to discuss further in Committee.
It was a privilege for the NDC to receive and host Ambassador Eldon and as an additional privilege, the Ambassador was able to attend the NDC inauguration ceremony for both Croatia and Albania as full NATO members. Overall, the Eisenhower lecture was an extremely successful event with the Ambassador’s expertise recent experience at Strasbourg/Kehl adding relevancy and focus to the NDC endeavours.
Prepared by Group Captain Pete Allan (GBR AF)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN