First Among Equals: The United States and NATO in the 90's
Abstract
As he struggles to shape a new security strategy for the United States in the face of radical changes to the world order brought on by the end of the Cold War, President George Bush finds himself in much the same position as Woodrow Wilson in 1918 and Franklin Roosevelt in 1944. President Bush, with widespread public support for a U.S. leadership role, however, will not preside over a return to isolationism or the bipolar competition of the Cold War. Rather, the United States will attempt to pursue its national security objectives through collective security and the rule of international law. A new military strategy, formulated by the Bush Administration to support U.S. national security policy in the new world order, entails a U.S. role of leadership within a system of regional alliances, similar to George Kennan's "strongpoint defense." The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), historically the focus for U.S. Cold War military strategy, will continue to support the nation's most important strongpoint -- Europe. The Bush Administration has advocated a post-Cold War mission for NATO beyond the treaty-specified boundaries of the Alliance. This out-of-area mission has been divisive throughout the history of the Alliance and should not be made a central theme of U.S. policy vis-a-vis its European strongpoint. The purpose of this essay is to contribute to the debate over the wisdom of a U.S. policy that endorses an out-of-area mission as part of an otherwise excellent American military strategy for the new world order. To better understand the issue and the new strategy, the author has included a brief history of the post-World War II era, with an emphasis on George Kennan's proposal for a strongpoint defense that he suggested as an alternative to a NATO-centered strategy. This strongpoint concept is compatible with the new military strategy authored by General Colin Powell, and the "new NATO," which must meet the challenges of a changing world environment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA436513
Entities
People
- Eric Nedergaard
Organizations
- National War College