Why NATO Still Matters
by David Springer, International Affairs Writer

A WORLD CHANGED
Founded in the opening days of the Cold War in 1949, NATO’s mandate was focused on deterring, and if necessary repelling, an Eastern Block attack against the West. For over 40 years, NATO kept vigilant guard against communist aggression. Then, in the early 1990’s, as the Soviet empire fell and the Warsaw pact dissolved, the alliance was left searching for its role on the new world stage.

Since then, NATO has embarked on an agenda of transformation – expanding its membership, its function and its geographical reach. It expanded its role into new areas, such as peacekeeping, antiterrorism, and today, operations in conjunction with the US Global War on Terror.

Many former eastern bloc countries are now NATO members; the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia are all now part of the collective security umbrella, and many of these members are actively participating in operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere. [1]

In the hours after the 9/11 attacks, Article Five of the North Atlantic Treaty was invoked for the first time in the Alliance’s history. Article Five effectively says that an attack on one is an attack on all. NATO Airborne Warning and Control aircraft (AWACS) were dispatched from their bases in Europe to loiter over the United States in support of US military combat air patrols.

Today, under the NATO flag, troops from across the alliance are 'in the fight' from the mountains of Afghanistan to the fields of the Balkans – battling terrorists in the hopes of creating a stable environment for fledgling democracies to flourish and, in doing so, creating a more secure global community.

NOT YOUR FATHER’S NATO
NATO is currently involved in several active operations. In perhaps the alliance’s highest profile role in the Post-Cold War world, NATO has been instrumental in securing the volatile Balkans region. In March of 1999, when diplomatic talks broke down, the NATO lead Kosovo Force (KFOR) staged air strikes in an attempt to stop the ethnic cleansings of Slobodan Milosevic. Since the successful air campaign, NATO has deployed peacekeepers to “ deter renewed hostility and threats against Kosovo by Yugoslav and Serb forces; to establish a secure environment and ensure public safety and order; to demilitarise the Kosovo Liberation Army; to support the international humanitarian effort; and coordinate with and support the international civil presence.” [2]

It is less well known that last year, at the end of a phased process, the US commanders in Afghanistan turned over control of the UN mandated International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, the main combat force in Afghanistan, to NATO. “This is one of the most challenging tasks NATO has ever taken on, but it is a critical contribution to international security,” said NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. [3] ISAF is over 36,000 troops strong and is deployed throughout Afghanistan. Thirty-seven nations are contributing forces: all 26 NATO members and 11 partner nations. In addition to providing security, the NATO ISAF mission is working hard on defense and security sector reform as well as the building of capable Afghan national security forces.

NATO is providing training and equipment to local national security forces enabling them to effectively police and secure their country under the rule of law. To date, over 50,000 light weapons, 110 armored vehicles, 12 helicopters and millions of rounds of ammunition have been turned over. Further, the operation has fielded 25 Provincial Reconstructions Teams (PRT’s). These teams are forward deployed and work to integrate all aspects of reconstruction and development. [4]

In Iraq, NATO counties are contributing personnel to NTM-I (NATO Training Mission – Iraq). Since May 2003, the alliance has been helping to train Iraqi security forces and coordinate deliveries of donated equipment. NATO played no role in the decision to go to war in Iraq or in offensive operations, but did deploy intelligence, surveillance, and air defense assets to member country Turkey to help protect it against any retaliatory action from the Saddam regime.

Commencing in the wake of 9/11, Operation Active Endeavor is a massive maritime mission to deter terrorists from mounting attacks on shipping in the Mediterranean Sea. This is being accomplished by monitoring shipping in the region and provided escorts through the Strait of Gibraltar. Since it began, OAE forces have monitored more than 75,000 ships and boarded about 100. In addition to several NATO member counties, Russia and Ukraine have both offered their support to strengthen their partnership ties. [5]

NATO’s new reach even extends to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. Since 2005, NATO has been providing mentoring and training to African Union peacekeeping forces deploying to Darfur. NATO is also providing airlift capacity to AU peacekeepers that otherwise would have a hard time getting to the areas where they are desperately needed.

As current threats to the US continue to shift from a conventional nation versus nation construct to one of symmetrical non-state actors, it is important we develop and grow a robust ability to deal decisively with these emerging concerns with our allies and partners. A nation on its own cannot effectively combat a global enemy.

[1] NATO/OTAN, “Enlargement,” http://www.nato.int/issues/enlargement/index.html

[2] NATO/OTAN, “NATO in the Balkans,” www.nato.int/issues/kfor/index.html

[3] North Atlantic Treaty Organization, “NATO Expands to Southern Afghanistan,” Press Release (2006)096, 31 July 2006.

[4] NATO/OTAN, “NATO in Afghanistan, ”http://www.nato.int/issues/afghanistan/index.html

[5] NATO/OTAN, “Operation Active Endeavor,” http://www.nato.int/issues/active_endeavour/index.html

Photo Courtesy of NATO