NATO at 60

Mats Berdal; David Ucko

doi:10.1080/00396330902860793

NATO at 60

Mats Berdal, David Ucko

War Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

As NATO turns 60 in April 2009, celebrations will be tempered by the continuing difficulties it faces in Afghanistan. The Alliance's first operation outside the Euro-Atlantic area has revealed a major gap between grand ambitions and actual capability. Central to this problem is the political disunity among NATO's member-states. The Strasbourg-Kehl summit may provide an opportunity to rethink what can most realistically be expected from NATO in terms of its contribution to international peace and security. Here, much can be learnt from the manner in which it has thus far responded to changing strategic circumstances since the Cold War, and the constraints, internal and external, that have impinged on its activities and are likely to continue to do so. The evidence points to a need for NATO to bring its exalted political purposes into closer alignment with its actual military missions and capabilities. The Alliance still has a potentially important role to play, but greater realism is needed both as to its strengths and its weaknesses.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	55 - 76
Number of pages	22
Journal	Survival
Volume	51
Issue number	2
Early online date	29 Mar 2009
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/00396330902860793
Publication status	Published - Apr 2009

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NATO at 60

Abstract

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