NATO

Question 1

what is NATO?

Answer 1

A military alliance based on the north Atlantic Treaty signed in 1949
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation NATO was formed in 1949 by the signing of the Washington treaty
Originally had 12 members including the USA Canada and 10 states from western Europe it currently has 28 members
Formed to provide collective security against the threat of military action in Europe from the Soviet bloc during the Cold War and to promote deeper political integration and stability in Europe following World War Il
The most important article of the Washington treaty is article 5 in which the signatories agree that an attack on one of them would be considered an attack on them all and that they would consider armed force in response this outlines the principle of collective security
An alliance of countries from Europe and North America main purpose is to Guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means found it in the aftermath of World War II with the purpose of securing Peace in Europe promoting Cooperation among its members and to guard there freedom
29 member states with Montenegro becoming the most recent member in 2017 (European nations can join the alliance as long as all existing allies agree

Question 2

early role of NATO

Answer 2

At the end of World War II Europe was devastated millions have been killed millions more displaced and Intre countries and economies were no longer functioning it was feared that this political instability would lead to Communist parties winning elections the Cold War was beginning
The USA signalled its intentions with the Marshall plan designed to kickstart the economies of Europe and restore economic and political stability
Attempts to restore military security to Western Europe began with the western union in 1948 but it was felt that a truly North Atlantic approach including the USA was needed to be truly effective
The Korean War and the Soviet union is detonation of an atomic weapon in 1949 triggered deeper military integration
Lord Ismay NATO is first secretary general supposedly said that NATO’s purpose was to “keep the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down”

Question 3

early role of NATO: the Warsaw Pact

Answer 3

The Warsaw Pact all the Treaty of friendship cooperation and mutual assistance was formed in 1955 as a collective security organisation on the other side of the ideological divide from NATO in the Cold War
Signed by seven countries under Soviet influence Albania
Czechoslovakia Poland Hungary Romania Bulgaria and East
Germany as well as the Soviet union itself
NATO and Warsaw Pact countries never engaged in military conflict with each other but the balance of power relations between these two blocks was the backdrop to much of the tension of the Cold War relations were often tense in a divided Europe which was symbolised by the Berlin Wall which had been constructed in 1961 but during the 1960s there was a movement towards détente using previously strained relationships
After the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan tensions between
NATO and the Warsaw Pact increased with a new arms race for ballistic missiles which created division in Western Europe
From 1985 the rise of Mikael Gorbachev who was happy to negotiate with the USA and its NATO allies meant that the Cold War was coming to an end
NATO was created as a unified front amongst Western nations against potential Soviet aggression when it was established its key role was to protect against aggression from the USSR and its military alliance the Warsaw Pact sought to counter the threat posed by the Soviet union at the time who gained power after World War II and sought to forcefully spread communism
This meant that the USA took on the role as guarantor Of the peace and security in Western Europe

Question 4

timeline of NATO (1949 - 1999)

Answer 4

1949 12 states sign the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to DC for
USA Canada UK Iceland France Norway Denmark Italy Belgium
Netherlands Portugal and Luxembourg
1952 NATO expands to include Greece and Turkey
1955 W. Germany joined NATO the Warsaw Pact is formed in response
1982 Spain joined NATO
1991 end of the Cold War Warsaw Pact is dissolved NATO the role is
changing
1994 partnership for peace program with former Warsaw Pact countries
1995 Bosnian campaign NATO launches its first military operation
1999 expansion of NATO eastwards (Poland Czech Republic
Hungary)

Question 5

timeline of NATO (2001 onwards)

Answer 5

2001 911 attacks on the USA NATO invoked article 5 for the first
and only time
2002 further expansion eastwards seven more states join
2003 disagreements with the NATO over the Iraq war
2004 NATO’s first major operations outside Europe happen in Afghanistan and in 2005 NATO’s role in Afghanistan was expanded (Estonia Latvia Lithuania Slovakia Slovenia Romania and Bulgaria jOIn)
2008 Russian war with Georgia strains NATO Russian relations
2009 NATO expands to 28 member states
2011 NATO mission over Libya sanctioned by the UNSC
2014 Russia annexes Crimean peninsular from Ukraine and supports ethnic Russians in the Donbass region of Ukraine
2016 NATO agrees that cyber warfare boy and enemy can trigger article 5
2017 Montenegro the most recent member joins

Question 6

2017 Montenegro the most recent member joins

Answer 6

For the first four decades of NATO the Cold War defined the alliance and collective defence against the USSR was its main role
After the cold war ended And the USSR collapsed many said that
NATO had fulfilled its purpose and was no longer needed but the alliance still exists today
But after the end of the Cold War in 1991 NATO reinvented itself….
1) peacekeeping and humanitarian intervention - NATO carried out 77 days of airstrikes to remove Serbian troops from Kosovo in 1999 and is currently involved in peacekeeping in Afghanistan
Kosovo and various regions in Africa
2) Expansion beyond Europe NATO commanded the UN mandated international security force in 2003 to 14 and from 2015 has led
mission resolute support to trade advise and assist Afghan security forces and structures
3) Eastward expansion - 10 countries which were part of the USSR and Warsaw Pact have joined NATO since 1999
The end of the Cold War raised questions concerning NATO the
threat that need to happen set up the council had vanished so was
NATO still needed
It was still committed to fighting militant nationalism in Europe as well as promoting democracy and political integration the ex-
Communist states of central and eastern Europe soon made it clear that they saw membership of NATO and the EU as key to embedding democracy and stability in their countries demonstrating the NATO was not yet obsolete

Question 7

changing role of NATO: involvement beyond
Europe

Answer 7

NATO is primary role is collective security in Europe and with the decline of the Soviet union people started to question his role but soon NATO member states began facing different threats in the 21st-century
On September 11 2001 terrorists flew passage airlines into the world trade Towers in New York and into the Pentagon in
Washington DC this triggered the first and only time that article 5 of the natal chart was invoked this attack on one member state was
an attack on them all
These terrorist attacks provoked a huge reaction from the US and its allies in operation enduring freedom do US let the invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001 to take control from the Taliban regime which had allowed Al Qaeda to use the country as a base

Question 8

changing role of NATO: involvement beyond Europe (NATO’s role in
Afghanistan)

Answer 8

NATO was called on to take command of the international security assistance Force aiming to provide security and stability so that peace and democracy could flourish in Afghanistan
NATO maintain the presence of the country from 2003 to 2014 but NATO’s role in Afghanistan was controversial for numerous reasons

Question 9

why was NATO’s role in Afghanistan controversial?

Answer 9

Military personnel from NATO countries suffered considerable casualties over 2000 US and 400 UK personnel killed these losses were politically damaging and it was hard to make the case that
NATO perceived to be a defence organisation for Europe was acting defensively in Afghanistan people questioned how NATO troops serving and dying in Afghanistan helped the national interest of the member states
There were a number of friendly fire incidents in Afghanistan
Civilians were killed particularly in airstrikes by NATO aircraft such as the bombing of a wedding party by US air raids into thousand and eight on top of suffering these casualties also caused tensions between the Afghan government and foreign forces as well as controversy among other NATO nations

Question 10

changing role of NATO: growth and expansion into Eastern Europe

Answer 10

The first expansion of NATO into former Warsaw Pact countries followed the reunification of Germany as the Cold War came to an end former Eastern Block countries had ambitions to join both
NATO and the EU from 19 9012 states from central and Eastern
Europe joint Dato 10 of which were for the Warsaw Pact countries and two were former republics of Yugoslavia
Crucially many states all the Cold War as a period of oppression by the Russians in the guise of the Soviet union these new democracy is were determined to entrench the freedom from Russia as well as their political and economic freedoms democracy peace and stability would be insured by collective security arrangement with other European states and the soul super power of the USA
All 12 states that have joined NATO since the Cold War Also wanted to join the EU and all the Albania have done so - membership of
NATO would guarantee security, while membership of the EU would imbed democracy human rights and Market economies in those countries

Question 11

conflict with Russia over eastern expansion

Answer 11

For Russia this expansion of NATO into its former sphere of influence was not only a threat but also betrayal the Russians believed that the deal to brag about German reunification prohibited the expansion of NATO into central Eastern Europe but this was not the case it now sees this Eastwood expansion as a part of the west’s policy to encircle and isolate Russia

Question 12

changing role of NATO: relationship with
Russia

Answer 12

NATO’s relationship with Russia and its predecessor the USSR has always been strained in recent years concerns about Russia’s objectives in its near abroad have raised tensions in the region to what some have described as a new Cold War
After the collapse of the Soviet union Russia was not in a position to confront the power of the USA economically militarily or politically
SO NATO did not feel under threat and as they took in more
European countries and many joined the EU Europe seemed like a haven of peace and stability
However recently there have been several crises and tensions between Russia and NATO as Vladimir Putin has tried to regain
Russia’s position as a global power
The stakes are high and both Russia and NATO have sought to bolster their borders by bringing troops and military equipment to deter what each site sees as an aggressive neighbour this movement suggest a replay of the Cold War and a classic security dilemma and arms race

Question 13

relationship with Russia: tensions between
NATO and Russia

Answer 13

Enlargement of NATO has caused disquiet and anger in Moscow but there have also been other issues where NATO and Russia have different interests
such as the USA is placement of an anti-ballistic missile system in former Soviet bloc countries near Russia - The US maintains that the system is designed to protect against missiles from Iran and
North Korea but the Russians have their suspicions
The 2008 military conflagration Between Russia and Georgia has also raised tensions and Russia has sided with Serbia is historic ally over Kosovo is succession and pursuit of independence, Georgia is a prospective member of NATO
Recently Russian actions in Ukraine which is not a member of NATO caused alarm in the west in 2014 Russia annexed the Crimean
peninsular which belongs to Ukraine and supported the pro-
Russian rebels this as well as its actions in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine or signs of the danger that Russia poses
Russia is also rearming and has used its military to support President Assad in the Syrian Civil War

Question 14

tensions between NATO and Russia: Poland and the Baltic States

Answer 14

NATO allies particularly those with better memories of Soviet domination are concerned that Putin’s tactics against Ukraine could be used against them too
Poland and the Baltic states are concerned about Russian tactics
including the use of hybrid warfare which is a mixture of conventional warfare Subversive and destabilising Activities and cyber warfare that could test of the collective security commitments of the 28 members of NATO
They fear that the Russians could manufacture a crisis involving ethnic Russian minorities in the Baltic states to muddy the water is allowing Russia to intervene with troops were not actually beautiful to Russia as a card in Ukraine in such circumstances Russia could possibly deny responsibility therefore forcing NATO countries to decide whether to retaliate with limited evidence of the Russian
state’s involvement
Any differing views within data on how to act would massively weaken the alliance and give strength to the Russians

Question 15

changing role of NATO: relationships with the wider world

Answer 15

Other countries in the NATO area and further afield have partnerships and dialogues with block some of these are prospective members like georgia while others are members of the
EU but not members of NATO such as Sweden Finland Austria
Cyprus is a unique case because it is a member of the EU but is unlikely to join NATO in the near future as Turkey would veto its membership

Question 16

NATO and the EU

Answer 16

NATO has quite a close relationship with the EU as they share many member states values and interests and such a close corporation between NATO and the EU can make the best use of the two
organisations specialisms
NATO can do much of the military work that the EU cannot do while the EU has civilian expertise and soft power
And example of close corporation between NATO and the EU was when the two organisations deployed to naval forces side-by-side in antipiracy operations off the coast of Somalia

Question 17

strengths of NATO

Answer 17

Countries are bound by values of freedom democracy human rights and market economics - Prospective members must share
NATOs core values and have the capacity and willingness to contribute to security in the Euro-Atlantic area
Achieved its purpose of deterring Soviet aggression against its member states during the Cold War And almost 7 decades NATO has ensured peace within its territory
Has changed with the times and found new role is to serve the interests of its members it is still necessary against Russian expansion, etc
Spends about 70% of the worlds total military expenditure and has proven capabilities in military action a technologically advanced military alliance
Has had numerous successes particularly in the Balkans and
Somalia
Has been able to act and be highly successful in situations where the UN has been unable to act e.g. the Balkans
Provides a unique forum for dialogue and cooperation across the
Atlantic

Question 18

weaknesses of NATO

Answer 18

Not all countries spend the guideline 2% of GDP on the military which has caused tension and conflict between members of NATO especially as Trump has recently Condemned other countries for not contributing enough and threatened to take the USA out of
NATO
Dominated by the USA and over reliant on the military power of the
USA
Requires unanimity for decisions to be made which often renders it ineffective and unable to act As Allstate have different national interests which makes corporation difficult
Questionable whether states would actually come to the aid of an attacked state
President Trump declared NATO was obsolete although he changed his mind in 2017 arguably NATO is obsolete and merely an outdated relic from the Cold War and much of its operations can be undertaken by the UNSC
Has had numerous failures some of which have been extremely severe and have led to damaging consequences e.g. Afghanistan and Libya
There is no NATO Army national forces are under national command, when called upon Allied nations volunteer their troops equipment or other capabilities to NATO led operations and exercises
It’s increased size makes decision-making very difficult as it must be done by consensus and everyone must agree
May have become a tool of some member states to pursue their own aims
Russia sees the east wood expansion as an attempted by the USA to encircle Russia in fact NATO strategy may have triggered rushes annexation of Crimea in 2014 to prevent Ukraine joining NATO
NATO has suffered a controversial and problematic missions in
Afghanistan and Libya in 2011
Over reliant on the USA which provides 75% of the defence spending NATO which has led to the USA criticising NATO allies for not contributing enough to the alliance in 2017 Trump suggested that those who do not pay up cannot expect protection therefore undermining the concept of collective security

Question 19

the Washington Treaty

Answer 19

NATO was formed in 1949 following the signing of the Washington treaty by the 12 founding member states
The treaty is derived from article 51 of the UN charter and give states the right to individual or collective defence
article 5 of the Treaty states and armed attack against one or more of them in your report North America shall be considered an attack against them all In other words article 5 late out the principle of collective defence and attack on one ally is an attack on them all
The treaty committee members to democracy individual liberty the rule of law peaceful resolution of disputes
Article 5 has only been triggered once in response to the 911 attacks

Question 20

how are decisions taken in NATO?

Answer 20

Decisions are taken by consensus meeting consultations take place until decision that is acceptable to all is reached and all member countries are represented in the north Atlantic Council
European nations can join the alliance as long as all existing allies agree

Question 21

the new era of instability ushered in by the end of the Cold War

Answer 21

The end of the Cold War offered hope for progress and peace but it also ushered in a new era of instability
NATO Has shifted its focus to this and taking on new tasks working to prevent future wars and devastation beyond the collective defence of its neighbours NATO seeks to promote security through partnership and cooperation
It has developed relations with nonmember countries including members of the former Eastern Block works with over 40 partner countries as well as international organisations such as the EU and even taken on a new key role in international crisis management since the end of the Cold War
Helped to end the war and build sustainable peace in the Balkans deployed troops and forces to Afghanistan to help secure stability following the 911 attacks during the Arab Spring NATO led an air campaign over Libya to protect civilians being targeted by the Qaddafi dictatorship at sea is helped prevent piracy of the horn of Africa and are cooperating to fight terrorism in the Mediterranean
Sea
It has also supported international efforts to stem illegal migration and human trafficking in the Aegean Sea

Question 22

the new challenges we face today that NATO has had to respond and adapt to

Answer 22

Today we faced different challenges the NATO did during the Cold War
For example Russia has become more assertive with the illegal annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine as well as
its military build up close to NATO’s borders
NATO is responding by reinforcing it’s deterrence and defence posture and supporting international efforts to project stability and strength and security outside NATO territory
The security situation in the Middle East and Africa has deteriorated which has caused the loss of life large-scale migration and inspiring terrorist attacks
The world also faces the spread of weapons of mass destruction cyber attacks thrust energy supplies environmental issues with security implications etcetera - NATO works with others as such problems are far too large for anyone country to tackle themselves

Question 23

How does NATO manage the financial aspects of its military operations and security arrangements among member states

Answer 23

Each member state pays for its own Armed Forces and covers the cost of deploying its forces but together the Allies get a lot more security for a lot less cost than they would if they have to do it alone

Question 24

How do NATO member states financially contribute to the organization, and what percentage of their national defense budgets do they contribute?

Answer 24

Each member contributes a small percentage of its national defence budget to NATO these contributions pay for running the political and operational headquarters in Belgium as well as the military command structure across NATO territory they also cover some costs of shared military capability systems and facilities needed for communication and control or for logistical support for
NATO operations
The USA contributes the most approximately 3.57% of its GDP
Greece contributes 2.36% the UK contributes 2.12% etcetera

Question 25

NATO’s power and capability

Answer 25

29 members including some very prosperous and influential members such as the US
Significant resources combined wealth of NATO members is over $30 trillion combined manpower is more than 7 million troops its combined military spending makes up around 70% of the worlds military spending
It is the worlds most powerful military alliance to spend it makes up over 70% of global military spending the USA remains of the linchpin of NATO with a huge defence spending budget of $569
billion in 2015 compared to Russia is $53.2 billion
In 2014 all non-US allies agreed to increase their defence spending
2% of GDP by 2024 in 2017 the average percentage of GDP contributed to NATO was 1.46% by each member

Question 26

the impact of NATO expansion

Answer 26

George Kennan - “NATO enlargement would be the most fatal error of American policy in the entire post-Cold War era since it will inflame Russia’s nationalistic anti-Western and militaristic tendencies”
Since the end of the Cold War NATO has dramatically extended its membership eastwards so that it now includes not only for the members of the Warsaw Pact such as Poland and Hungary but even former members of the Soviet union such as Latvia Lithuania and
Estonia by joining NATO these countries are now protected by article 5 so providing them with military protection against the potentially expansionist Russia
Father Eastwood expansion penetrates the Russians sphere of influence Risks reigniting the tensions of the Cold War
The expansion of NATO has their forest reigniting the Cold War indeed in 2015 rushes updated national security paper describes
NATO expansion as a threat to Russia

Question 27

main problems facing NATO

Answer 27

The expansion of NATO risks reigniting the cold war with Russia and so NATO members have to tread a very fine line between providing collective security for its members and provoking Russian aggression
The expansion to include more members means that NATO could lose the necessary unity that it requires to be effective as the more members there are the more interests that Clash and the less likely it is to reach consensus

Question 28

main problems facing NATO

Answer 28

NATO needs to clarify what its purpose is whether is to provide security for its members within Europe or to act out of area taking on peacekeeping and humanitarian roles potentially on behalf of the UN as it did in the Balkans

Question 29

main problems facing NATO

Answer 29

There is danger of some NATO members freeloading on others this is an issue that President Trump has particularly stressed
in Afghanistan there was a clear split between what member states were prepared to do only a few NATO states were prepared to provide a combat troops the USA Canada and the UK almost issued caveats Restricting their troops to nationbuilding projects so that they did not have to engage in actual fighting
Most NATO members also Avoided military combat in Libya and so there is a growing concern that not enough of NATO members are still prepared to involve themselves in conflict and so I consequently not prepared to live up to their security obligations
Robert Gates for my US defence secretary said that NATO must not cannot become a two-tiered alliance of those who are willing to fight and those who are not
For example just four of NATO is European members UK France
Estonia and Greece spend at least 2% of the GDP on defence

Question 30

main problems facing NATO

Answer 30

An increasingly significant problem that NATO faces is how to decide at what point article five would be activated this should be triggered as a result of military act but in the age of cyber warfare and insurgency what exactly a military attack is becoming harder to define
Any lack of certainty on this. Could in bold in Russia to test NATO is resolved

Question 31

main problems facing NATO

Answer 31

A major challenge for NATO is how it gets along with President Trump his retreat has often accused of NATO countries of militarily and financially taking advantage of the US well Trump is also keen for closer relations with Russia and has repeatedly slammed NATO calling it obsolete
Although he has recently told Theresa May that he is 100% behind
NATO and it is important therefore that NATO is able to continue to maintain the full support of the US especially as the United States is contributing unfairly to the alliance

Question 32

main problems facing NATO

Answer 32

NATO needs to be aware of attempts by the European Union to replace it with a European army which is what Jean Claude Junker
Has called for
this would certainly weaken NATO especially as it would encourage
Donald Trump to think that Europe is not prepared to look after their own defences so encouraging US isolationism

Question 33

NATO successes

Answer 33

Kept peace in Europe since 1949 by deterring Soviet Russian expansionism according to principle of collective security Enshrined in article 5
Peacemaking and peace building in Bosnia and Kosovo
Sunami relief training and equipping Iraqi army to confront Isis fighting Somali pirates
Expansion to protect vulnerable East European states from Russian aggression

Question 34

NATO failures

Answer 34

Acting too far out of the area in Afghanistan and Libya which are two of NATO’s biggest failures
Eastwood expansion has arguably undermined the credibility of the alliance and risked a new Cold war with Russia by expanding into its zone of influence
Danger of becoming a two tier alliance with some members willing to contribute to and conflict what others are on willing to fully involve themselves and therefore freeloading on those who are