Perhaps someone can find even the most remote indication that NATO, 30 of 32 of whose members/soon-to-be members are, or were, nominally Christian nations, has in the following public relations stunt marked the Christmas holiday in any meaningful manner. Putting up a large green object with needles seems more in line with contemporary Western Gaia worship. Presumably burnt offerings and sacrifices will be added. The tree could be ignited by a Tomahawk cruise missile and kept glowing through the following year with depleted uranium ordnance. Irradiated cinders could be gathered and donated to politically-connected charities – RR
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NATO
December 16, 2022
Christmas trees and charity initiatives mark end of year at NATO Headquarters
Festive decorations have gone up at NATO Headquarters, as a momentous year for the Alliance draws to a close.
At the end of November, a 12 metre-high Christmas tree was installed outside the Headquarters, near the NATO compass and the Allied flag circle. The Belgian tree comes from the Stavelot area of Wallonia, and was provided by La ferme nos pilifs, a social project that promotes sustainable agriculture and employs people with disabilities. After the holidays, the tree will be made into wood chips and the waste will be used to mulch plant beds around the NATO campus as part of a wider greening initiative. Another 4.5-metre tree has been set up at the Conference Centre, where the North Atlantic Council meets. While this year’s decoration colours are blue and silver, a red bauble mysteriously appears on this tree each year.
On 20 November, NATO Headquarters hosted its annual Charity Bazaar…This included the “Wishing Tree” project – which began in 2021 to support a school in Wallonia…and this year focused on giving gifts to Ukrainian children arriving in Belgium. To deliver the gifts, NATO partnered with the Belgian non-profit organisation Bibliothèques sans Frontières which helps to facilitate access to education, culture and information for vulnerable groups. The organisation’s “Action for Ukraine” operates three libraries in Belgium which offer activities for children, as well as language courses.
NATO
December 15, 2022
NATO holds first-ever roundtable on climate change and security
NATO Headquarters held its first-ever Climate Change and Security Roundtable on Thursday (15 December 2022). This event brought together representatives of NATO Allies and renowned climate experts to discuss the impact of climate change on security. Among the issues discussed were the latest trends on climate change and security in the Euro-Atlantic region, the implications of climate change for NATO’s future operating environments, and best practices from NATO Allies and other international bodies with respect to climate adaptation and mitigation.
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The Climate Change and Security Roundtable included speakers from the World Meteorological Organisation, the World Bank Group, the UK Meteorological Office, the International Military Council on Climate and Security, the US Department of Defense, the UN Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and of Operational Support, Natural Resources Canada, and the international integrated technology group Rheinmetall.
The Roundtable is intended to become an annual event, underlining the need for NATO and other actors to work together in meeting the challenge of a changing climate….
Anti-bellum 