NATOstartstheyear2000withtheissueofconcern.TheEuropeanAllies'defensecapability, stabilizationeffortsintheBalkans,andrelationswithRussiaareatthetopofahighlycharged agenda
In1999NATOaccomplishedmanytasks,whichwerereviewedintheDecember15thWashington Summit.TheyapprovedanupdatedStrategicConceptattheWashingtonSummit;admittedasnew memberstheCzechRepublic,Hungary,andPoland;contributeddecisively,inparticularthroughthe conductoftheiraircampaignandthesubsequentdeploymentofKFOR(NATO–ledinternational peaceforce),totheinternationalcommunity'sobjectiveofcreatingthebasisforlong–termpeace andstabilityinKosovo.
WhatisNATO?NATOistheNorthAtlantic...showmorecontent...
Thisenablesthemtopursue,indifferentways,cooperativeprogramsonawiderangeofpractical security–relatedissuesofbenefittotheircountriesandtoEuropeasawhole.Bothcountriesare membersoftheEuro–AtlanticPartnershipCouncil(EAPC).NATOcontinuestoattachimportance todiscussionsandpracticalco–operationwithRussiaTheiraimremainstoestablishastrong,stable andenduringpartnershipwithintheframeworkoftheNATO–RussiaFoundingAct.
NATOencouragesRussiatoresumeco–operationonthebroadrangeofissuesforeseeninthe FoundingActandtoengageactivelyintheEAPCandthePartnershipforPeace.NATOalso emphasizesthatthefurtherdevelopmentoftheirco–operationdependsonRussia'srespectfor internationalnormsandobligations.
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230601191707-d4fc760155442c569b952c21247f0fef/v1/9f987d9a50723ec88f2df896de6fe129.jpeg)
TherearestillconcernsabouttheconflictinChechnyaNATOcondemns,inparticular,Russian threatsagainstunarmedcivilians,suchasthoseinGrozny.Theyalsocondemnterrorisminallits formsbutbelievethatRussia'spursuitofapurelymilitarysolutiontotheconflictisunderminingits objectives.NATOurgesRussiatoexercisethefullestrestraint,torefrainfromtheuseofforce againstciviliansandprotecttheirhumanrights,tofacilitatetheprovisionofhumanitarianaidto thoseinneed,andtoco–operatefullywithinternationalreliefagenciesandtoensuresecurityfor their
...Getmorecontent...
Inrecentevents,PresidentTrumpmockedtheNorthAtlanticTreatyOrganization(NATO)saying thatitisanalliancefocusedonoldissuesthatarenolongerrelevanttoourpresent–dayproblems andthatit'saburdenthatdrainsAmericanresourceswithpartnersthatdonotcontributetothe economiccosts.TheissuewiththisisthatPresidentTrumphasamajorimpactonthewayother countriesviewAmericaandonthepossibilitiesofusenteringwar,hisrecentcommentshadraised questionsaboutwhathisintentionsareintermsofglobalaffairs.However,theimpactsTrumphas onourrelationshipwithNATOisimportanttokeepinmindbecauseNATOisaveryimportant alliancethathelpsusandmanyothercountrieswhenitcomestowarsshowmorecontent
TheWarsawPactfocusedontheobjectiveofcreatingacoordinateddefenseamongitsmember nationsinordertodeteranenemyattack.Theybegantoexerciseeventightercontrolovertheother CommuniststatesinEasternEurope.AftertheColdwarendedandcommunismfell,NATO remainedasanallianceandmanyothercountieshavebeenaddedtotheorganizationsincethen. PriortothedevelopmentofNATO,therewerealliancesbetweentheworldpowers,specifically beforeWorldWarI,thereusedtobetheAlliedandCentralPowers.Whichcreatedasimilarsystem thatNATOoperateson,thecountriesinvolvedwouldallworktogetherandjoineachotherinwars, butthealliancefailedtostayuntilNATOwasdeveloped.BeingapartofNATOisveryimportant toAmericabecauseitgivesussupportifweweretoenterwarandwe'reapartofateamofthemost developedcountriesthereare,whichisverybeneficialtousItcreatesasafeguardforthefreedom andsecurityoftheinvolvedcountriesthroughpoliticalandmilitarymeans.Itkeepsussafefrom communismandterrorism,alwaysknowingthatwehavesomeonetobackusup,andprevents worldwarsbymakingpeoplecompromise PresidentTrumpofficiallypronouncedNATOrehabilitated,takingcreditfortransformingitintoa modern,cost–sharing,terrorism–fightingpillarofAmericanandEuropeansecurity.Although, "NothinghaschangedatNATOinthelast80
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230601191707-d4fc760155442c569b952c21247f0fef/v1/9f987d9a50723ec88f2df896de6fe129.jpeg)
...Getmorecontent...
TheNorthAtlanticTreatyOrganization(NATO)wasfoundedin1949asameansofcollective securityfortheWesttodefendagainsttheSovietUnionandEasternBloc.Withthecollapseofthe SovietUnionin1991,NATOseemedtohavelostamainreasonforexisting.AsformerEastern BlocnationsexpressedinterestinparticipatinginNATOoperationsorevenjoining,Russiabecame steadilyuneasyWhenevaluatingtheirresponsetoNATOexpansioninthe1990's,didRussiaactin anoffensiveordefensivemanner?J.L.Blackpresentsaplethoraofprimaryaccountsoftheyears encompassingNATOexpansiontogivethereaderanideaexactlywhattheRussiangovernmentwas thinkingatthetimeItseemsclearthatNATOexpansioncausedshowmorecontent
ThetrendthatiscommonhereisthatRussiaisconstantlyisolated.Theyconsistentlyfind themselvesinacompromisingstrategicpositionwithinsufficientallies.WithNATOtaking advantageoftheSovietcollapse,RussialostalotofinfluencewithformerSovietstatesasthey joinedNATOsub–organizations.ThisisaclearinfringementontheRussiansphereofinfluence. Russiahasonlyoneoption:reachouttothenon–Westernworldinanattempttofinda counterbalancetoNATOandtheWest.In1955,theWarsawTreatyOrganizationwasformed, seeminglyasacounterbalancetoNATO.ButBlackpointsoutthatthiscollectivesecurity agreementwasnotsigneduntil6yearsaftertheformationofNATO,andwasactuallymadein reactiontoWestGermany'sinclusioninNATO(119).ThismimicsRussia'sreachingouttonations suchasChina,India,Pakistan,Iran,andIraqfollowingtheNATOexpansionofthe1990'sThis continuanceofapolicyofmulti–polaritysupportstheclaimthatanystrategicmoveRussiamakesis inreactiontoNATOexpansioneastward.SomemaysaythatRussiawentfurtherthanjustgaining securitywiththesenationsasitprovidedthemwiththeassistanceindevelopingnuclearenergy programs,providedweapons,andpracticedjoinmilitarytactics.Butthisisallnecessarywhenone ...Getmorecontent...
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230601191707-d4fc760155442c569b952c21247f0fef/v1/9f987d9a50723ec88f2df896de6fe129.jpeg)
NATO'sdegreeofinvolvementisnotlimitedtoitsmemberstatesasover40states,whicharenot membersoftheorganization,areinvolvedinpoliticalandsecurityissuesconcerningthe organization.Ropinginothercountrieshasfacilitatedimprovedexchangeofinformation,enhanced understandingofconflictsinregionswhereNATOseekstointervenebutdoesnothaveapresence. DespitebeinganAmerican–centricentity,NATO'sfunctionshavealltheattributesofan internationalorganizationworkingforthepreservationofinternationalpeace.
3.1.1ISAF:TheInternationalSecurityAssistanceForce(ISAF),createdinDecember,2001created bywayofaUnitedNationsSecurityCouncil,isperhapsthemostprominentoperation undertaken...showmorecontent...
TheexistenceofAl–QaedawasacknowledgedandacceptedbytheUnitedStatesduringthefinal yearsofColdWarera.Inthecontemporaryworld,labelingoforganizations/regimesas'dangerous toglobalpeace'isapopularwayofbuildingsupportforwarrantingamilitaryintervention.An attackonAmericawasthestandardappliedtoascertainthestatusofanorganization,(whichhad beeninvolvedinterroristactivitiesinthepast)asonewhichpossessedthreattopeace.Thewestern coalition'sousterofTalibancreatedavacuumofpowerinKabul.TheTaliban'shardlinesystemof governanceduringitsrulewasalsocomplimentedbyastablesecurityenvironment,whichwas ravagedaftertheinvasionin2001.Thewaralsotookamassivetollonthecivilianpopulation, resultinginthousandsofciviliandeathswhichcouldbeattributeddirectlyorindirectlytooperations undertakenbytheUS–ledmission.Thedestructioncausedtocivilianpopulationdeepenedthe dividebetweenthewestandAfghansocietyasalotofindividuals,whosekinwerekilledinNATO operationsweredriventowardsradicalideology,whichAl–QaedaandTalibantappedinto ThoughmostinternationaltroopsdeployedinAfghanistanhavenowdepartedthecountry,security situationstillremainsuncertain.AsAfghansecurityforcespreparetodealwiththechallenges whicharelikelytoemanate,thecountryfacesalongroadtorecovery,asit
...Getmorecontent...
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230601191707-d4fc760155442c569b952c21247f0fef/v1/9f987d9a50723ec88f2df896de6fe129.jpeg)
PresidentTrumpisnotcorrectthatthisallianceisobsolete.NATOisincrediblyrelevantinsociety todayandimplementspolicyandactionacrosstheglobe.AsrecentasApril12,2017followinga meetingwithNATOSecretaryGeneralJensStoltenberg,thepresidentaffirmedtheUnitedStates commitmenttothealliance.NATOisnowdoingmoretocombatterrorismandhasmadethe necessarychangestorealigntheUnitedStateswiththeircollectiveinterestsaccordingtoTrump Thenpresident–electDonaldTrump,statedthatNATOdidnotevendiscussterrorism,thatthe organizationwasnotdesignedfortheideal.Actually,NATOhasbeenactivelydealingwith terrorismsincethe1980sYesterday'sSovietUnionhasbeenreplacedwithtoday'sshowmore content...
WhatNATOisdoingnowissimplynotpartofitsoriginaldetailexpectedastheworldhaschanged since1949.Jihadistshavetakenthestageasthenew"RedDevil,"andtheevolvingallianceknown asNATOwantstosurvive.ThepersistenceofNATOprovesthatinstitutionsadapttochanging surroundingstosurviveratherthandieAsMearsheimersaidaboutstates,thekeyincentiveisto survive.Statesthatdonotactaggressivelygetoverrun.Thesamecanbesaidforinstitutions,if NATOdoesnotgoontheadvanceonoccasion,thenitwillfallintotheashheapofhistory. PresidentTrump'sinitialremarksabouttheNorthAtlanticTreatyOrganizationdidweakenthe alliance'scredibility.NATOwasrattledbyTrump'saccusationthatNATOwasobsolete,the alliance'slargestpowerseemingtodisownthevalidityoftheinstitutionWithPresidentTrump's words,theworldwasremindedofthefragilesystemhumanitycreated,government.Thereis nothingnaturalaboutstatesnortheinstitutionsthatseemtoorganizethechaos.Inaworldofsocial constructs,thereisthatreminderofwhatiftheUnitedStatesweretoleaveNATO?Thereisno internationalpolicetostoptheU.S.fromleavingorprotectthe"free–loading"countrieswhich dependontheresourcesoftheUnitedStates.Theinternationalarenaisthestateofanarchy.NATO wouldmissoutonover$500billionU.S.dollarsand1.4milliontroopsper
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230601191707-d4fc760155442c569b952c21247f0fef/v1/9f987d9a50723ec88f2df896de6fe129.jpeg)
...Getmorecontent...