Nato brings together 28 countries and is based on collective will. "Decisions are agreed upon on the basis of unanimity and common accord," according to Nato's website. However, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter now wants to speed up the process. The U.S. and its allies must be able to respond "on short timelines," he said. The defense ministers are meeting later this week, and they are preparing to "grant significant new powers to the alliance's military chief to deploy troops, a move that currently requires a decision from all 28 Nato allies," according to the Financial Times. So much for unanimity and collective will. Strictly speaking, this means that Gen. Petr Pavel of the CR would have the authority to deploy troops, which would make him one of the most powerful men in the Western hemisphere. But of course we know from comments by U.S. Amb. Andrew Schapiro that Pavel was handpicked by Washington anyway.