Changes

After the end of the [[Cold War]], European defense spending had weakened and its military lacked technology and modernization.  In 2002, NATO met for its annual summit, which was held in [[Prague]]. The 19 country alliance made a list of improvements that its members needed to make in order to effectively fight the war on terror, these improvements called for, among other thing, a NATO Military Concept for Defense against Terrorism.  NATO members also took steps to modernize there forces, all 19 countries agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense. NATO also agreed on its new focus, terrorism. As  Spain's former prime minister [[José María Aznar]], said, “[[Jihad]]ism has replaced Communism, as Communism replaced [[Nazi]]sm, as an existential threat to the liberal democracies.”

After the end of the [[Cold War]], European defense spending had weakened and its military lacked technology and modernization.  In 2002, NATO met for its annual summit, which was held in [[Prague]]. The 19 country alliance made a list of improvements that its members needed to make in order to effectively fight the war on terror, these improvements called for, among other thing, a NATO Military Concept for Defense against Terrorism.  NATO members also took steps to modernize there forces, all 19 countries agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense. NATO also agreed on its new focus, terrorism. As  Spain's former prime minister [[José María Aznar]], said, “[[Jihad]]ism has replaced Communism, as Communism replaced [[Nazi]]sm, as an existential threat to the liberal democracies.”

=== Further Expansion and Russian Relations ===

=== Further Expansion and Russian relations ===

In 2004, NATO further expanded to [[Central Europe]]an countries, these included [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Slovakia]], [[Slovenia]], [[Bulgaria]] and Romania, resulting in an organization of 26 nations.  This spark of expansion was seen as an offensive move by [[Russia]] and caused a rift in the NATO, Russia relations. The Russian lower house released to the press a statement, "At present we are debating the draft statement of the State Duma which we are planning to adopt in connection with NATO's expansion in Europe. Our opinion is equivocal that this act is erroneous. I think that this is a big historical mistake on the part of western states."

In 2004, NATO further expanded to [[Central Europe]]an countries, these included [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Slovakia]], [[Slovenia]], [[Bulgaria]] and Romania, resulting in an organization of 26 nations.  This spark of expansion was seen as an offensive move by [[Russia]] and caused a rift in the NATO, Russia relations. The Russian lower house released to the press a statement, "At present we are debating the draft statement of the State Duma which we are planning to adopt in connection with NATO's expansion in Europe. Our opinion is equivocal that this act is erroneous. I think that this is a big historical mistake on the part of western states."