NATO Enlargement

<p>Romania's efforts to overcome the legacy of its communist past have been more painful and have proceeded with far less dispatch than in most other East European countries. The autocratic and often cruel brand of socialist ideology practiced by Nicolae Ceausescu left the population physically and mentally malnourished. While Ceausescu and his wife were quickly disposed of on December 25 1989 following a violent popular upheaval the residual effects of years of enforced political inactivity and over-centralized planning left the country's social and political elites ill-prepared to manage the new paradigm with which they were faced. As a result the transition to a true democratic form of government and functioning market economy has proceeded at a halting pace. Through it all Romanians cast their gaze westward transfixed on the notion of one day earning the right to be a full-fledged member of NATO.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>