Last Updated on August 1, 2021 by srikanta

what is nato
SOURCE- https://www.britannica.com/

NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. It is also known as North Atlantic Alliance. This was founded in the aftermath of the World War II. Its purpose was to secure peace in Europe, to promote cooperation among its members and to guard their freedom. All of this was for countering the threat posed by the Soviet Union at that time.

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HOW IT STARTED AND IT’S MEMBERS

what is nato
source-https://www.nato.int/

The Founding Treaty for NATO was signed in Washington on 4th April 1949. Initially there were 12 European and North American countries. At that time it was called as Washington Treaty. The founding treaty allows of other European nations to join the Alliance, as long as all existing Allies agree. Any prospective member must share NATO’s core values. They must have the capacity and willingness to contribute to security in the Euro-Atlantic area. Today, NATO has 30 members, who are stronger and safer together. Today, NATO has 30 members, who are stronger and safer together. Below is a table that shows which country joined in which year.

COUNTRYYEAR
BELGIUM1949
CANADA1949
DENMARK1949
FRANCE1949
ICELAND1949
ITALY1949
LUXEMBOURG1949
NETHERLAND1949
NORWAY1949
PORTUGAL1949
UK1949
US1949
GREECE1952
TURKEY1952
GERMANY1955
SPAIN1982
CZECH REPUBLIC1999
HUNGARY1999
POLAND1999
BULGARIA2004
ESTONIA2004
LATVIA2004
LITHUANIA2004
ROMANIA2004
SLOVAKIA2004
SLOVENIA2004
ALBANIA2009
CROATIA2009
MONTENEGRO2017
NORTH MACEDONIA2020

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OBJECTIVE OF NATO

NATO commits the Allies to democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law, as well as to peaceful resolution of disputes. Importantly, the treaty sets out the idea of collective defence. This means that an attack against one Ally is considered as an attack against all Allies. NATO also ensures that the security of its European member countries is inseparably linked to that of its North American member countries. This Organization also provides a unique forum for dialogue and cooperation across the Atlantic. For seven decades, NATO has ensured peace within its territory. The way NATO deals with threats have evolved over time but its purpose, values and founding principles of the Alliance has not change.

For its first four decades, the Cold War defined the Alliance. When that confrontation ended in 1989 and with the collapse of the Soviet Union, some said that NATO had fulfilled its purpose and it was no longer needed. And yet the Alliance is still here today.

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So why has NATO stood the test of time?

The end of the Cold War offered hope for progress and peace, but it also brought in a new era of instability. NATO has responded to changes in the security environment by shifting its focus and taking on new tasks. It ensures the collective defence of its members and also seeks to promote security through partnership and cooperation. Below are some examples of efforts taken by NATO to justify its existence. Since the early 1990s, the Alliance has developed relations with non-member countries which includes former Cold War adversaries of the former ‘Eastern Bloc.’ Some of these partners are now members of the Alliance. Today, working with non-member countries and other Organisations is considered to be one of NATO’s fundamental tasks. It works with 40 partner countries as well as with other international organisations like the United Nations and the European Union.

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HOW IT WORKS??

meeting of nato
source- https://www.nytimes.com/
  • While NATO continues to adapt to changes in the security environment, the fundamentals of how it works haven’t changed. Consensus and consultation are part of its DNA. All member countries are represented in the North Atlantic Council where decisions are taken with the agreement of all the nations.
  • There is no NATO army. National forces are under national command. When called upon, Allied nations volunteer their troops, equipment or other capabilities to NATO-led operations and exercises.
  • Each member state pays for its own armed forces and covers the costs of deploying its forces. But together, the Allies get a lot more security for a lot less cost than they would if they had to do it alone.
  • Each member contributes a small percentage of its national defence budget to NATO. The national contributions pay for running the political and operational headquarters in Belgium, as well as the integrated military command structure across NATO territory.
  • They also cover some of the costs of shared military capabilities, systems and facilities needed for communication, command and control, or for logistical support to NATO operations.
  • Other multinational capability projects are funded by groups of Allies.

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EXAMPLE OF SOME STEPS TAKEN BY NATO TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL CRISIS MANAGEMENT

  • The Alliance helped to end war and build sustainable peace in the Balkans by working closely with partner countries.
  • During 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, Allies and partners deployed forces to Afghanistan to help bring stability.
  • During the Arab Spring, NATO led an air campaign over Libya to protect civilians being targeted by the Gaddafi dictatorship.
  • At sea, NATO and its partners have helped to prevent piracy off the Horn of Africa and are cooperating to fight terrorism in the Mediterranean Sea.
  • It has also supported international efforts to stop illegal migration and human trafficking in the Aegean Sea.

PRESENT DAY CHALLENGES FOR NATO

  1. Today, NATO is facing a much broader range of threats than in the past.
    • In the East, Russia has become more assertive with the illegal annexation of Crimea and destabilisation of eastern Ukraine, as well as its military build-up close to NATO’s borders.
    • In the South also the security situation in the Middle East and Africa has deteriorated. It is causing loss of life, fuelling large scale migration flows and inspiring terrorist attacks.
    • NATO is responding to these by reinforcing its deterrence and defence posture. Also it is supporting international efforts to project stability and strengthen security outside NATO territory.
  2. NATO is also confronted with the spread of weapons of mass destruction, cyber attacks and threats to energy supplies as well as environmental challenges with security implications. These challenges are too big for any one country or organisation to handle on its own, so NATO is working closely with its network of partners to help tackle them.

Thanks to years of joint planning, exercises and deployments, soldiers from different nations can work well together when the need arises. Also Working together makes the Allies more stronger and better.

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