NATO's Expansion Decision
Abstract
Concerned by the ever looming threat of Soviet expansion, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created on April 4, 1949 for the sole purpose of promoting peace in Europe. It accomplished this goal through a trans-atlantic link that created an umbilical relationship between sovereign member nations and promoted peace through collective defense. It has prevailed in this endeavor since its inception and stopped Soviet aggression during the Cold War. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, NATO's charter was fulfilled. Now, the organization struggles to redefine its post Cold War identity. In the midst of this colossal organizational identity crisis, many countries want the economic security and defense guarantees associated with the Cold War NATO. Anxious to appease prior adversaries and insure security to the Eastern European theater, the United States is supporting the gradual expansion of the Alliance. In fact, President Clinton announced that the NATO membership would be offered to some nations as early as 1999. As NATO struggles to seek its European security niche in a post cold war environment, it may be the wrong time to expand, and expansion may be being heralded for the wrong reasons. Consideration must be given to stability for the fledgling Russian democracy, the assets that newcomers will bring to the Alliance, the security risks of expanding the NATO nuclear umbrella, the investment of member countries in a downsizing environment, the effect on Russian ratification of Start II agreements, new security frontiers of an expanded NATO, and many other factors. The Partnership For Peace (PfP) program provides a setting for new members who wanted to test the offerings of the Alliance in a probationary forum.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA398248
Entities
People
- Roger A. Bick
Organizations
- Air War College