NATO at 60.

AuthorJones, David T.

In a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations on February 25, former NATO Secretary General (1999-2003) Robertson reviewed the status of NATO and its future. As it approaches its sixtieth anniversary, NATO has sets of accomplishments behind it. (Robertson details the Alliance's steadfast rebuff of Moscow during the Cold War and its ultimately effective stabilization of Bosnia, stopping "hideous medieval violence.") It also, however, has questions regarding its role and a variety of specific challenges.

Although Robertson mentioned in passing the full spectrum of "new vulnerabilities" ranging inter alia through global economics, failed states, organized crime, nuclear proliferation, global warming, and terrorism, he focused on several specific challenges for NATO:

* Afghanistan. Robertson is bottom line blunt: "We went there, we are there, to stop Afghanistan being the safe haven for the terrorists who reach out across borders, across continents, and hit us now. ... We are there to protect ourselves primarily ... [and] We need to win." Defeat would be defeat for NATO collectively and for its 26 members individually.

* Enlargement. The Alliance will get bigger; indeed, Robertson foresees a NATO in 10-15 years that could encompass as many as 37 members, including Russia. The question becomes not NATO's numbers, but how to make an organization work that has endured (and muddled through) for 60 years by consensus--a consensus...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT