A Force For Good

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, was created in 1949 by 12 countries to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.  

To this day NATO's stated purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military deterrence.

Following Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine previously non-aligned and neutral Finland and Sweden requested, hand-in-hand, membership in the alliance.  As a consequence, NATO has expanded and strengthened as a direct consequence of Putin's aggression.  

At the present time NATO has 32 member countries.  These countries, called NATO Allies, are sovereign states that come together through NATO to discuss political and security issues and make collective decisions by consensus

Article 5, which stands at the heart of NATO's founding says that an attack on any member of the alliance would be viewed as an attack on all.  If such an attack does occur, each member will take measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.  Article 5 has been invoked only once; following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  NATO came to America's aid.

It's good to have friends.

NATO's recent expansion does not inherently threaten world peace or risk nuclear war.  It is a defensive alliance  focused on deterring aggression and protecting member states.   Any new memberships are driven by the voluntary decisions of sovereign nations seeking security.  Ukraine is not a NATO member; a potential for future membership would naturally be conditioned  on meeting specific criteria and the consensus of existing allies.  NATO has always emphasized responsible management of geopolitical dynamics and conflict prevention.

Contrast that with Russia's annexation of Crimea and expansionist designs over countries that it has historically considered part of the Russian sphere of influence.  To be clear, the alliance's doctrine aligns with the core belief that nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought; prioritizing deterrence in order to prevent conflicts.

NATO has successfully integrated Eastern European nations without triggering a major conflict demonstrating a capacity for responsible enlargement of the pact members.  NATO support for Ukraine is primarily defensive, aiming to enhance Ukraine's sovereignty.

NATO is not a monolithic organization and its membership doesn't always agree.  Such is the nature of a diverse membership of democracies, nonaligned nations and tolerance for differing points of view.  

On balance I believe that NATO has been good for Europe and good for Canada and the U.S.  It has been good for our economies and good for our defense forces.  It has been good for the world.

There is a minority that will take issue with my view; nevertheless, in a world with dangerously bad actors, in my opinion for 75 years NATO has been a force for good and it's better to be aligned with the good guys instead of the bad guys.

There will be a presidential election in November, the outcome of which portends the role of the US in the alliance and the security of democracies that form this alliance.  In case you missed it there is an unholy alliance of Russia, China and North Korea and Iran. 

NATO is a vital counterweight to the destabilizing influences of these unstable dictatorships.  It is as relevant to our security as the venerable (almost as old) B-52 bomber.  A deterrence and a force for good.