WASHINGTON, September 3 (Ria Novosti), Lyudmila Chernova - Australia's partnering with NATO demonstrates that the alliance is striving to intervene around the globe, Ivan Eland, national security analyst for the Independent Institute told RIA Novosti Wednesday.
"It is ludicrous for Australia to become any kind of partner with an alliance that was originally supposed to protect Western Europe," Eland said.
"It indicates that NATO is striving to intervene around the globe, which it has already done," a national security analyst added.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Tuesday that Australia would be accepting a formal invitation to become what is called an enhanced partner. He stressed that the country is planning on strengthening its ties with NATO in hopes of attaining a greater role in global crises.
Australia is not a NATO member, but has fought alongside the coalition in Iraq and Afghanistan, motivating the move toward a more powerful role in ongoing global conflicts such as between Iraq and Syria and in Ukraine.
"This move is symbolic, but Australia could again be part of a coalition to intervene somewhere, but even this would be symbolic," Eland claimed, adding that Australia has only limited capabilities.
"Australia will not necessarily be a member. But if they do, they would get an even greater security guarantee from the U.S. than they already have," Eland concluded.
NATO members are scheduled to meet in Wales on September 4 and 5 to discuss the alliance's response to Russia, which it accuses of interfering in Ukrainian affairs.
The summit will focus on "the evolution of partnerships" of NATO with nonmembers and on the "narrative for the Post-2014 era" of the relevance of NATO's existence in the post-Cold War period and its future after US troops withdraw from Afghanistan at the end of the year.
The leaders of some 60 countries are expected to attend the summit.
