NATO's Evolving Role in the Post-Cold War World

Introduction: From Cold War Origins to a Changing Alliance

NATO was founded in the post-World War II environment as a means of Western nations defending their interests against the Soviet Union. With the fall of the U.S.S.R. and the end of the Cold War, the role of NATO has changed — and to a degree it is still going through those changes. The initial concept of NATO was to combine North America and Western Europe in a military alliance capable of, and willing to, respond with nuclear force if there were any Soviet attacks on its members. This was a direct response to the Soviet-backed overthrow of the democratic government in Czechoslovakia. By 1952, Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Turkey had joined NATO, extending the alliance to all nations sharing Western democratic values.

The first major operation after the end of the Cold War came in the Balkans in the 1990s. NATO at that time sought to preserve the security of its members even while chaos and war raged nearby. The decision to back Kosovo against Serbia, however, represented a new role for NATO: lending support to a non-member in a combat mission against another non-member. This was a significant shift in the alliance's role in the world, and NATO's role today has evolved further from those post-Cold War roles it began defining at that time.

Defining a New Role

NATO's first several decades were entirely defined by the Cold War. Without that defining adversary, NATO changed radically — so much so that some observers argued it had become an entirely new organization (Jackson, 1997). Most notably, NATO moved beyond the collective defense of its members with the actions in the Balkans, which, because they involved third parties, were outside of NATO's traditional theater (Jackson, 1997). The actions in the Balkans essentially served to extend NATO's sphere of influence, and came at a time when the organization was shifting its reach eastward into the former communist nations. This expansion has since continued, most visibly with NATO operations in Afghanistan.

Peacekeeping and Power Projection

NATO became involved in peacekeeping efforts in the 1990s as a means of protecting its interests in conflict regions. In both the Balkans and the Caucasus, NATO worked not only to calm open conflicts but to extend its interests as well. NATO had allies and interests in these regions, and there were clear adversaries too — Russia in the Caucasus and Serbia in the Balkans. As such, NATO took on a prominent peacekeeping role while blending it with military action. NATO peacekeepers have remained relevant in other theaters since then, most notably in Afghanistan.

NATO also sought to build on its peacekeeping role in terms of political influence. With NATO actions having successfully achieved victory in places like Kosovo, the organization demonstrated a willingness to use its combined military power against third parties when sufficient interest existed. NATO became a vehicle through which its most powerful member nations could pursue objectives under the banner of a larger, international body. This arrangement lends the alliance credibility precisely because it is comprised of many nations. That credibility is something NATO also leverages on the world stage and in diplomatic politics. NATO seeks to build coalitions with other bodies for major projects, such as reconstruction in Afghanistan, and will cooperate with the United Nations when interests align — as occurred with its intervention in Libya in 2011.

NATO's projection of power has been cited by the alliance itself as one of the major mechanisms through which it operates. By occasionally demonstrating a willingness to fight, it can guarantee a higher degree of security among NATO nations. Smaller nations like Serbia and Libya may be regionally strong, but they cannot withstand the combined force of NATO. By acting and operating at the edges of its borders, NATO projects more power than it might otherwise. This is the essence of "peace through security" — the idea that NATO's mere presence brings stability to a region, because no nation wishes to confront the alliance directly. While exceptions exist, greater security is generally achieved when NATO becomes involved in areas beyond its formal boundaries.

Conclusion

NATO's role in the post-Cold War world continues to evolve. While the alliance may be reverting in some respects to its old posture with regard to Russia, the more important considerations are NATO's structure and its mission. Structurally, NATO has traditionally relied on Article 5 as a high-end deterrent, but against adversaries who doubt whether NATO would respond in full force, the existing structure carries risk of appearing outdated.

NATO's mission has expanded geographically — to third-party nations, as those nations have entered NATO's security neighborhood. But other forms of security are becoming equally important in the 21st century and will ultimately affect the military sphere. NATO may need to become involved in food, water, and energy security in order to preserve the wellbeing of its members. The alliance's long-term relevance depends on its willingness to adapt both its structure and its mandate to meet these emerging challenges.

References

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NATO (2015). A short history of NATO. North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Retrieved December 8, 2015 from

Jackson, R. (1997). NATO and peacekeeping. University of Cambridge. Retrieved December 8, 2015 from

Chollet, D. & Goldgeiger, J. (2002). Give new NATO new role. Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved December 8, 2015 from