In a later article published in the London Financial Times on Nov. 17, Dr. Kupchan predicts that the NATO summit held later that week would not hide the reality that these are "The Last Days of the Atlantic Alliance," as the title of his article puts it.

Contrasting the excitement in Washington at the last enlargement of NATO with the deafening American silence at NATO's invitation to seven more former communist countries to join, Dr. Kupchan points out that NATO's "founder and primary patron, the US, is losing interest in NATO. The result is a military pact that is . . . of diminishing geopolitical relevance."

Three developments have contributed to this, claims Dr. Kupchan. "First, Europe's own success obviates the need for its American guardian . . . Second, the two sides of the Atlantic are drifting apart politically . . . Third, US priorities are shifting away from Europe . . ."

Although Dr. Kupchan thinks the NATO alliance will exist on paper for at least the remainder of this decade, the reality is that it has outlived its usefulness.". . .The US is losing interest in NATO," he explains. "The result is a military pact that is hollowing out and of diminishing geopolitical relevance.

". . .The US and Europe are thus parting ways, bringing to an end their close strategic partnership . . . The EU must now ready itself to shoulder more responsibility for its own defence."

Somewhat ominously,Dr. Kupchan warns that "the EU's prospective members in central Europe must realise that their future security, as well as their economic well being, rests with the EU. Accordingly, they should get behind the union's push on the defence front, instead of quietly resisting the EU's efforts in the hope of keeping NATO in the lead."

Once again, shifting alliances and changing priorities are bringing about the final realignment of nations that will lead to the prophesied fulfillment of end-time events. GN