NATO Enlargement: Balancing Economic and Military Objectives.
Abstract
The military requirements of NATO Enlargement should be tied to NATO's overall goal of seeking stability in all of Europe such that it does not undermine political and economic success in new member countries. This paper recommends that new member countries focus major military improvements in areas that will serve a dual purpose, both economic and military. For example, railway repair and/or upgrade can provide significant improvements to the new member country's economy while offering substantive logistical benefit to NATO in times of crises. This paper focuses on Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic as potential new members. With the European Community focused on the economic recovery of new member countries and NATO focused on dual economic-military systems and infrastructure, new member countries can best stabilize their military while retaining economic and political gains; this approach is similar to that of Germany and Japan after WWII. A review of NATO's success thus far, along with an analysis of NATO's objectives (ends), strategic concepts (ways), and resources (means) demonstrates the feasibility of developing dual purpose systems and infrastructure to meet NATO's strategic objective of stability in all of Europe.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 07, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA326587
Entities
People
- Thomas P. Bostick
Organizations
- United States Army War College