The NATO Trouble: Immaturity

E. v. KUEHNELT-LEDDIHN

NATO is steering into deep waters, its troubles largely, though not solely, caused by Charles de Gaulle’s decision to leave the alliance. As a close observer of the French President since the nineteen twenties, I have identified three fundamental aspects of de Gaulle’s mind which determine his political thought and action: 1) his peculiar inflexibility over the last 40 years; 2) his detachment from the pledges he himself has made, characteristic of either the extremely arrogant or the inwardly insecure man; and, 3) his amour-propre, i.e. egotism, vanity, or pride. This last carries the important concomitant that he is easily offended and most unforgiving, raising the question whether de Gaulle is truly arrogant. Normally it is very difficult to wound the susceptibilities of a genuinely arrogant person; such a man is usually generous, quick to forgive and forget.

EK

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Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn

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E. v. KUEHNELT-LEDDIHN

NATO is steering into deep waters, its troubles largely, though not solely, caused by Charles de Gaulle’s decision to leave the alliance. As a close observer of the French President since the nineteen twenties, I have identified three fundamental aspects of de Gaulle’s mind which determine his political thought and action: 1) his peculiar inflexibility over the last 40 years; 2) his detachment from the pledges he himself has made, characteristic of either the extremely arrogant or the inwardly insecure man; and, 3) his amour-propre, i.e. egotism, vanity, or pride. This last carries the important concomitant that he is easily offended and most unforgiving, raising the question whether de Gaulle is truly arrogant. Normally it is very difficult to wound the susceptibilities of a genuinely arrogant person; such a man is usually generous, quick to forgive and forget.