An Attack Against Them All? Drivers of Decisions to Contribute to NATO Collective Defense
Abstract
The 2018 National Defense Strategy calls for strengthening U.S. alliances and reducing allied vulnerability to coercion in an era of increased great power competition. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was originally founded in 1949 as an institution of collective defense against the Soviet Union. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, NATOs focus shifted to crises near the borders of the alliance (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo) or further afield to out of area missions (Afghanistan, Libya). However, Russias military incursions into Ukraine in early 2014, coupled with its military buildup and other aggressive behavior, have prompted renewed discussion about the possibility of an attack on a NATO member. As a result of these concerns, NATO has taken practical steps to strengthen deterrence. In spite of these steps,analysts and commentators have raised several questions about allied willingness to respond to an attack on a NATO member, especially against the Baltic states. Some point to polls that show relatively low public support in Europe for defending Baltic allies. Commentators, including former Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Wesley Clark, have suggested that this reflects a widespread cultural aversion to war in Europe. Second, in spite of the emphasis on allies in U.S. strategic documents and from U.S. officials, President Donald Trump has called NATO obsolete and raised questions about the U.S. commitment to defending NATO members. Finally, the Russian government is actively sowing divisions among NATO members to prevent unified responses to Russian actions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1080712
Entities
People
- Anika Binnendijk
- Miranda Priebe
Organizations
- RAND Corporation