The Undersecretary of State at State, Nicholas Burns, stated that some NATO countries had responded favourably to calls for removing the strict rules of engagement that prevented their troops from redeployment to the south. Since these restrictions are often placed by the Parliaments who hold strong powers on troop deployments, such a noise was the United States providing hope rather than confirmation some NATO members had begun to recognise the freerider problem.
The freerider problem is also one faced by injured veterans, treated with disdain by the authorities. The latest reported scandal is a Territorial NCO, blown up by a Scud missile in Iraq, who found that the MOD was happy to receive his sacrifice in the forces, and pushed him to the back of the queue in civvie street.
Scott, 38, was blown up by an Iraqi Scud missile on the first day of the conflict in March 2003 and had horrific injuries to his spine, knees, shoulder and teeth.
At Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, a junior doctor told him he was just badly bruised and he was sent home to rest. In agony, he finally saw an Army doctor two months later and was told he needed ops on his spine.
"They said I'd have to go on a waiting list for 23 weeks," says former bank worker Scott, who is single and lives in Northampton. Instead, he paid for the £50,000 surgery.
There is a case for emulating the United States and setting up a Veterans Department, with its own Minister, responsible for ensuring that they are not forced to suffer crap junior doctors or NHS queues. I doubt the MOD will reimburse Scott, though they should be forced to, preferably from Hoon's and Brown's pockets.
After the NATO meeting, none of the issues have been resolved and the nascent tensions that could cripple the alliance remain as the lowhanging fruit of discord.