Dissent against Nato ill-judged amid challenges

DESPITE some negative reports of disunity, it is difficult to disagree with Nato's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The alliance continues to be strong, 70 years after its formation in 1949.

Members of Nato meet in Watford, just outside north of London today. The London Bridge terrorist attack is fresh in their minds. Ahead of the seven-decade anniversary celebration, Mr Stoltenberg stressed that Nato must address terrorism and defend democracies against aggression. The coalition of nations must fight terrorism abroad and at home.

There is expected to be a heated debate over Turkey's threat to vote against a defence plan for Baltic nations and Poland. Turkey, a Nato member, wants the alliance to agree that the Kurdish YPG militia are terrorists. This is unlikely as the YPG helped defeat ISIS. To be sure, Turkey - which is an effective dictatorship - has become a nuisance within Nato. Only recently it bought S-400 missile defence systems from Russia, which under President Vladimir Putin has become wily and aggressive.