Nato's New Mission: Projecting Stability In A Post-Cold War

Description:
Reports of NATO's death have been greatly exaggerated. Characterisations of NATO as a 'relic' of the past do not square with the fact that the Alliance is busier today than at any time in its history. As Europe has become more unified and more democratic, NATO has assumed new layers of significance in the global security environment. In a post-September 11 world, the old 1990s debate about what is 'in' area and what is 'out of area' is a luxury that the Alliance can no longer afford. Decisions made at the 2004 Istanbul summit aimed at enhancing NATO's partnerships with the states of Central Asia and extending the partnership concept to the Greater Middle East reflect the Alliance's new, more global presence as do new military missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The author argues that a careful analysis of NATO's new, more global focus suggests that it is not the nature of NATO's mission that has changed, but rather its scope. NATO is approaching its new 'out of area' missions with the political tools developed after the Soviet threat faded in the early 1990s when the Allies agreed that, rather than merely defend an old order, they would now create a new one grounded in liberal democratic values. As the author demonstrates, the post-September 11 security environment ensures that NATO's own survival depends upon its willingness to project security beyond Europe. It argues that NATO is not a relic, but has an import new role in the post-Cold War World. It includes coverage of the issues of terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Author Biography:
Rebecca R. Moore is Associate Professor of Political Science at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, where she directs the Global Studies Program. She teaches courses in U.S. foreign policy, international relations, and international security, and she has published previously on NATO, U.S. human rights policy, and the promotion of civil society in China.