Sunday, April 26, 2020

NATO Essays - NATO, North Atlantic Council, North Atlantic Treaty

NATO Fifty years ago on April 4, 1949, twelve countries signed the Treaty of Washington and formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. There were a total of sixteen countries that signed this treaty. Those countries were the following: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States. These various groups of countries came together and formed the NATO Alliance. They wanted to help the world maintain peace due to the Soviet Union's threat on the non-Communist countries of Western Europe. In the early 1990's, political critics began to criticize NATO saying that is was not needed anymore after the control over Russia. Books and article titles from the early 1990s reflected the mood of the times. Liberal scholars expected NATO to wither because of the drawing peace in Europe undermined the need for big military organization and collective security would be given new life?NATO was forced with growing irrelevance and that it would be surprising if Europe's alliance outline the century? (Gordon 1). In sum, NATO is an alliance based on political and military correspondence between its member countries. As stated in the preamble to the North Atlantic treaty, Alliance members are committed to safeguarding the freedom, common heritage and civilization of its people, that is founded on the principle of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. - Why NATO? This period of early history was a time where countries were proving their power. In addition, Russia was causing serious uproars for Western Europe. After World War II in 1945, the Communist states- led by Russia and the non-Communist states- led by the United States were engaging in a political rival known as the Cold War. One of the controversial topics was that of nuclear weapons. Britain and France were concerned that the Soviet Union may use nuclear weapons against them. They also were doubtful that the United States would use their nuclear weapons against Russian to protect Britain. So Britain and France built their own nuclear weapons. As a result, France removed its troops from NATO command, but did remain a member. The Paris headquarters was then moved to Brussels, Belgium. By 1955 the Soviet Union headed its own alliance to oppose NATO called the Warsaw Pact. The objectives of NATO are political based on a common defense planning and military cooperation and by working together in economic, scientific, environmental and other issues that would be of major concern for the world. During the Cold War, for example, NATO focused on the problems dividing Europe which was the development and maintenance of universal defense system and overcoming the political issues that were dividing them at this time. Today, NATO is focusing on developing stability within the European Community as well as developing an adequate peace keeping and crisis management system. The Treaty of Washington has specific articles that are rules or guidelines that countries under this treaty are to abide by. Article four of the treaty provides consultations among the allies whenever that particular country feels that its territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened. The threatened country has the guaranteed assurance that the other member nation will be committed to that country's welfare. This is true for all member nations. This means that is a member country of North America or Europe is threatened, the antagonizing country shall have not one, but all NATO countries against it. - The Organization of NATO The headquarters of NATO is located in Brussels, Belgium. The headquarters is the home of the North Atlantic Council. It also houses the permanent representatives and national delegates, the Secretary General and the International Staff, national military representatives the Chairman of the Military Committee and the International Military Staff and other NATO offices. There are approximately 3,750 people who work full-time for NATO. Approximately 2,150 of those are members of national delegations and representatives of the national military committee in NATO. ?There are approximately 1,180 civilian members of the International Staff and 420 members of the International Military Staff, including 80 civilian personnel? (NATO handbook). NATO has two branches- the civilian branch and the military branch. The civilian branch consists of the North Atlantic Council-the highest authority in NATO. It includes NATO's leadership and