First, let us acknowledge what NATO is and has accomplished before taking on the reasons for expansion. There is little doubt that NATO, a military coalition of the United States, Canada and 14 European countries, has been the most successful alliance in the history of our world. It was a major factor in the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

And its origins were clearly bipartisan. Harry Truman was the creator of NATO. He clearly recognized the threat of the Soviet Union and actively supported the formation of NATO. After Truman, President Dwight Eisenhower, with his deep knowledge of Europe, galvanized NATO to stop the expansionist goals of the Soviet Union. And then NATO finally "witnessed," as President George Bush said in his Inaugural Address, the passing of "the totalitarian era..its old ideas blown away like leaves from an ancient lifeless tree."

Leaving any second round of expansion to another day, let me examine with you the arguments opposing NATO expansion and the reasons why a Republican-controlled US Senate and the Clinton Administration can agree on this issue.

The other night at an Adelphi University lecture, I had the opportunity to directly ask Mikhail Gorbachev his views about NATO expansion and the consultative role Russia is to play. While completely avoiding the consultative role, he clearly is opposed to NATO expansion, saying it is "a bad idea." He also went on to say that Russians are "concerned" about the expansion, but "expansion would not create an earthquake."

Beyond the words of Gorbachev, there is little doubt in my mind that a stable Central Europe, involving NATO, will have a calming effect on even the most militant Russian nationalists. History has shown us that the start of World Wars I and II were Central Europe in origin. With the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary a part of NATO, Europe's most volatile area will become more secure.

While Russia does not have the ability to hold hostage millions of people in Central Europe, it remains an important power. Remember the mistakes of World War I when the victorious allies permitted Germany to rebuild its military? Let us hope that through a lack of resolve and complacency we do not repeat history. A central Europe with a strong economy, democratic governments and military ties to NATO will be in the best interests of all Europeans, including the Russians.

And then there is the moral dimension of expanding NATO into Central Europe. Stalin's geography, imposed by an aggressive Soviet Union, can no longer be imposed on the free people of Eastern and Central Europe. Who can forget Soviet tanks crushing those who yearned to be free in Hungary? Who can forget the early crumblings of the Iron Curtain when Pope John Paul embraced Lech Walesa on a visit to Poland with the communist dictator of Poland awkwardly looking on?

It is important that leaders of the United States never forget the lessons of history. Ignoring Central and Eastern Europe led us into two hot wars and one cold war. NATO expansion is here and about to be a reality. The emphasis should be on making it work¬not sniping from the sidelines.