NATO Today -- How it has evolved -- Goals for Chicago Summit Larry McCracken SOAR Meeting May 2, 2012

In the Beginning… Aftermath of WWII and the Holocaust Soviet Union threatens – Czechoslovakia – Berlin Airlift UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights

North Atlantic Treaty, April 1949 An Alliance of 12 member nations Three key elements – Deter Soviet expansionism – Forbid revival of nationalistic militarism in Europe through strong North American presence on the Continent – Encourage European political integration Article 5: “Attack on one...considered attack on all”

Western Europe Western Europe benefitted from US aid aid and American security umbrella – Restored political stability – Helped launch the post-war economic miracle Tensions Continue – Berlin – Cuban Missile Crisis 1967 – NATO pursues political tract of dialogue and détente with Warsaw Pact countries

Europe, – Soviets invade Afghanistan and deploy SS-20 ballistic missiles in Europe NATO pursues “dual track” – US Deploys Pershing and cruise missiles – Seeks negotiations for removal on both sides 1987 – INF Treaty signed, leading to removal of missiles 1989 – Fall of the Berlin Wall – Eastern European Communist gov’ts overthrown

Europe, 1990s NATO faces new risks to Euro-Atlantic peace and security Collapse of Communism gives way to rise in nationalism and ethnic violence Yugoslavia – Dayton Peace Agreement Kosovo

September 11, 2001 Terrorist attacks on the New York World Trade Center and the Pentagon – Demonstrates that political disorder in distant places can have terrible consequences at home Article 5 invoked for the first time since NATO’s inception in 1949 – Affirms that an attack against one member nation is an attack against all – Leads to NATO support in Afghanistan

NATO: Pursuing an Open Door 1949: Twelve founding members – Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States 1952: Greece and Turkey 1955: Federal Republic of Germany 1999: Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary 2004: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia 2009: Albania and Croatia

NATO Today 28 Member nations Important tenets remain – Article 5: Attack on one, attack on all – Alliance decisions are unanimous and consensual NATO has a new mission – Extending peace through the strategic projection of security Key elements – Collective Defense – Crisis Management – Cooperative Security

Goals for the Chicago Summit Secretary General Rasmussen has four priorities for NATO’s 25 th Summit – Afghanistan – Missile Defense – Smart Defense – Cooperation He set them out last fall. Let’s listen…

Basically, the Secretary General wants to ensure that NATO remains committed to its operations and values, is capable of tackling future threats and is even more closely connected to its partners. I see NATO as a positive organization for peace and stability – a force for good. Thanks….