Carcass of Dead Policies: The Irrelevance of NATO

Abstract

I n 1877, Lord Salisbury, commenting on Great Britain's policy on the East- ern Question, noted that "the commonest error in politics is sticking to the carcass of dead policies." 1 Salisbury was bemoaning the fact that many influential members of the British ruling class could not recognize that history had moved on; they continued to cling to policies and institutions that were relics of another era. Salisbury went on to note that the cost was enormous because this preoccupation with anachronism damaged Britain's real interests. Despite Salisbury's clever words, his observation is nothing new. Throughout Western history policymakers often have tended to rely on past realities, policies, and institutions to assess and deal with contemporary and future situations.