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NATO Today -- How it has evolved -- Goals for Chicago Summit Larry McCracken SOAR Meeting May 2, 2012.

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Presentation on theme: "NATO Today -- How it has evolved -- Goals for Chicago Summit Larry McCracken SOAR Meeting May 2, 2012."— Presentation transcript:

1 NATO Today -- How it has evolved -- Goals for Chicago Summit Larry McCracken SOAR Meeting May 2, 2012

2 In the Beginning… Aftermath of WWII and the Holocaust Soviet Union threatens – Czechoslovakia – Berlin Airlift UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights

3 North Atlantic Treaty, April 1949 An Alliance of 12 member nations Three key elements – Deter Soviet expansionism – Forbid revival of nationalistic militarism in Europe through strong North American presence on the Continent – Encourage European political integration Article 5: “Attack on one...considered attack on all”

4 Western Europe Western Europe benefitted from US aid aid and American security umbrella – Restored political stability – Helped launch the post-war economic miracle Tensions Continue – Berlin – Cuban Missile Crisis 1967 – NATO pursues political tract of dialogue and détente with Warsaw Pact countries

5 Europe, 1979-1989 1979 – Soviets invade Afghanistan and deploy SS-20 ballistic missiles in Europe NATO pursues “dual track” – US Deploys Pershing and cruise missiles – Seeks negotiations for removal on both sides 1987 – INF Treaty signed, leading to removal of missiles 1989 – Fall of the Berlin Wall – Eastern European Communist gov’ts overthrown

6 Europe, 1990s NATO faces new risks to Euro-Atlantic peace and security Collapse of Communism gives way to rise in nationalism and ethnic violence Yugoslavia – Dayton Peace Agreement Kosovo

7 September 11, 2001 Terrorist attacks on the New York World Trade Center and the Pentagon – Demonstrates that political disorder in distant places can have terrible consequences at home Article 5 invoked for the first time since NATO’s inception in 1949 – Affirms that an attack against one member nation is an attack against all – Leads to NATO support in Afghanistan

8 NATO: Pursuing an Open Door 1949: Twelve founding members – Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States 1952: Greece and Turkey 1955: Federal Republic of Germany 1999: Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary 2004: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia 2009: Albania and Croatia

9 NATO Today 28 Member nations Important tenets remain – Article 5: Attack on one, attack on all – Alliance decisions are unanimous and consensual NATO has a new mission – Extending peace through the strategic projection of security Key elements – Collective Defense – Crisis Management – Cooperative Security

10 Goals for the Chicago Summit Secretary General Rasmussen has four priorities for NATO’s 25 th Summit – Afghanistan – Missile Defense – Smart Defense – Cooperation He set them out last fall. Let’s listen…

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12 Basically, the Secretary General wants to ensure that NATO remains committed to its operations and values, is capable of tackling future threats and is even more closely connected to its partners. I see NATO as a positive organization for peace and stability – a force for good. Thanks….

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