NATO

 

“We, NATO, we are the world’s largest military alliance and a key security provider for all of our Nations. We are committed to promoting peace throughout Europe and all around the world. For this mission, NATO stands ready to play our part in reinforcing democracies.” — General Sir Richard Dann, Chief-General Officer (Retd) Defence Headquarters, London, UK

What is NATO?

NATO was formed on 5 July 1949 as an intergovernmental organization to support European countries in defence, political affairs, economic development, and social and cultural aspects, both domestic and international. The aim of NATO is ‘an end to war’, but its structure itself reflects that it aims at building partnerships with governments in each country. So what would a ‘nation of nations’ be? Well, there are many nations. It could easily be a total of 200 states in the US. However, the most popular definition goes as follows: “a group of independent States whose sovereignty and territorial integrity are assumed by treaty, agreement, or convention, usually through military action. A nation’s power to do something depends on whether it has nuclear weapons, has an armed standing army, and/or takes certain measures in peacetime”.

How did the founding fathers come up with this idea? What does the name ‘nation of nations’ mean to them? In one famous interview, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said:

“A Nation of Nations is an expression of nationalism — national pride, a sense of self. Nationalism is patriotism… As Europeans, we believe in the right to make decisions; we agree on war and in defense of European interests; and we believe that the United Kingdom cannot continue to be ruled by dictatorships or dictatorships of third countries. Our goal is to bring in world peace at the earliest opportunity possible, and we will do whatever it takes to achieve that."

The word ‘nation of nations’ refers to a collective entity which comprises a set of peoples, usually referred to as a state, by virtue of being their legitimate government. To ‘nation of nations’, these groups often have their own distinct identity; however, even that can be subject to change over time. When members of the group are not united in a common culture or ideology, they may refer to themselves as ‘nations of people who follow different ideologies. They may often be politically autonomous, although many have no specific definition for this term. Finally, nations are also sometimes called as multi-national entities. Each nation is represented on a range of international non-governmental organizations and international bodies. While some nations may only have formal links, others may well have deep affiliations.

NATO was established during the Cold War, when the US and Soviet Union engaged in conflict against other nations, including China.

Why should I care?

NATO would be a great investment strategy, especially now that Donald Trump took to calling NATO allies "weak" while pointing a big stick at Russian ally North Korea. With new leadership in charge, the US wants to work together with Germany, France, Poland, Germany, Canada and Japan, while pushing ahead with the plans in Afghanistan and Libya. If you look at this as a whole, the main goals are to take down Chinese companies like Huawei, and prevent Iran developing nukes. Also, the EU is planning to work with Britain and the United States, where Macron hopes to improve Franco-German relations. At the same time, the Polish government wants to strengthen their relationship with the USA.

NATO has done incredible jobs keeping Europe safe from internal and external threats. They continue to be very protective of the transatlantic defense balance, while working on global issues and trying to reduce poverty. Considering the potential rise in terrorist activity and attacks, the NATO alliance has been instrumental in countering terrorism, leading to increased counterterrorism operations in most parts of Europe and many more. This makes NATO a valuable investment that looks set to grow into a powerful force to protect us from potential attacks on civilians.

NATO has many member countries that are known for having strong relationships with Russia, the U.S., Canada and Australia, as well as the United Kingdom. These countries have invested heavily in infrastructure and security investments in order to provide for themselves and their citizens. Not all nations are following NATO rules, and many have differences that have resulted in tensions between them. Even so, the general consensus among Western powers seems to be that NATO is an essential partnership. However, questions about how much military support NATO provides to any single, particular country over a single target has continued to linger. Although the purpose of NATO is not clearly stated, it could be argued that there is a kind of ‘divide and rule’ rule between NATO partners. After having such strong ties with the U.S., Canada, and Japan, and after having the ability to defend itself against foreign and domestic threats, NATO could well see its influence spread quite widely.

NATO is currently the closest alliance to the US, in terms of their support to each other and their shared commitment to defense and security. Regardless of disagreements between NATO nations, it is important to remember the US remains strongly aligned to NATO, and that NATO members are likely unlikely to move away from NATO. However, NATO has many different nations and factions that need strong military support, whether domestically or internationally. There is also a real possibility of nations like Syria and Turkey joining NATO, given their geographic location and the history of NATO conflicts. On top of that, other nations like Cuba and Hungary may decide to consider membership. But whichever happens, every nation, regardless of size or importance, must remain vigilant to not fall victim to another superpower wielding the ultimate power.