Jawad
Amidst heightening tensions between Soviet Union and Western Europe particularly United States, the spectre of communism was haunting the whole world because it was stretching it’s ideological muscles in Eastern Europe and rest of the world. Cold War was at it’s heights and threats of Soviet Union were lurking in the minds of Western Europe. It was in this context that the governments of Europe collectively tried to form a military alliance in order to counter the potential threat of Soviets in future. Hence, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization emerged as a new strategic identity on the surface of globe.
The Western Europe and US were sharing a common purpose which was to undermine the communist monopoly in Eastern Europe and the hanging threats. In the solidarity western governments along with United States unified under the umbrella of NATO alliance against Soviet Union’s existential menaces, however, several indicators led Soviets with the disintegration and disappearance of USSR. Along with disintegration, most of the scholars and intelligentsia believe that the legitimacy of NATO has gone and is irrelevant and inapplicable in contemporary era.
By considering it’s applicability the scholars who are counter arguing against the existence of NATO are doing injustice with it because NATO is still utmost applicable organization in the realm of modern global order because it plays pivotal role in collective security, humanitarian intervention, etc. NATO in contemporary time is increasingly becoming indispensable because the security landscape after the Cold War had instantly shifted from sole common threat of Soviet Union to new and diverse kinds of threats. As previously defined that NATO was established for countering the winds coming from the horizon of communist sea and to protect the borders of signatory states of NATO. However, the issue that was at the core of NATO’s existence and identity, the organization would have to remain during the whole Cold War episode but with the withering away of Soviet Union in the pages of history it lacked identity crisis. Unconsciously, Soviets with it’s disntegration had posed a threat to it’s existence because there left no logic in existence when a common purpose was achieved.
Countering meticulously, NATO had undermined the threat but the new cycle of threats in the rapidly globalized world were ringing at the doors of Western Citizens ranging from transnational terrorism, human security, cyber security, piracy on the high sea and the proliferation of nukes and weapons of mass destruction. Collectively these threats reminded NATO states to rethink and revamp it’s strategic policies. Now, the states are jointly coping with the modern common threats which require modern techniques. To be in the line compelled these states to cooperate on international level which paved the way for the revival of NATO’s snatched identity thus becoming wholly collective security organization from North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
NATO’s effectively mounted responses against the non-traditional security threats compounded with traditional ones are of paramount importance which showcase it’s relevant nature as a military alliance in today’s saga. The prime examples are NATO’s deployment of troops and it’s irruption on Afghanistan and revoking of article 5 following the aftermath of September 9/11 attacks which states that an attack on one state is attack against all which is the practical manifestation of collective defence. Following this invocation, US fired naval forces to curb oceanic terrorism. Adventure in Kabul started to destabilize the systematic hubs of Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, to restablize Kabul, to enfranchise the state from terrorism, and making the state Oxford of peace rather than Harvard of terrorism. Further, NATO maintained it’s feet in Gulf of Eden and deployed it’s troops to inhibit Somalian piracy and assist African Union in combating several other missions. These including other actions demonstrate the critical role of NATO in current chain of affairs. Additionally, in the realm of humanitarian ventures it has outlier role from becoming a coercive arm of United Nations to halting genocide in Kosovo. In several humanitarian crisis NATO had been first and foremost to take up arms after United Nations’ mandate to condemn the human right violations in particular region i.e Libya. In this way, it has unparallel role in humanitarian crises and conflict ceasing and management for example in halting a downtrodden genocide gulping Kosovo, in providing assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina etc. It’s operation during the times of need furthers and justify it’s relevant role in international arena.
While NATO plays a significant role in security aspects and humanitarian ventures, however, there is no denying fact that it’s centrality in world politics had bestowed it with much prominence to reach at the standards of justification. Currently, it’s principal objective is to forge an international community of nations having shared values like liberalism, democracy and human rights. Now, it is not the organization which secure the borders only but became an organization to protect values.
The modernization and the incorporation of two significant regions; Balkans and Eastern Europe are another feather in the cap of NATO. Former subjugated states of Warsaw Pact after the disintegration of USSR became orphans of international system, NATO, however integrated all the states into the fabric of modern Europe. This integration was achieved through IPAP (Individual Partnership Action Plan) which formulated the codes of conduct to follow as a requirement for admission. Incorporation had opened up new avenues for Eastern Europe to modify the unusual shape of their states which ultimately brought them in the heaven of modernization. Similarly, after the disintegration of Republic of Yugoslavia, decolonized states were also brought up under the European model of high-recognition. NATO here also proved as a modernization force for the states.
Consequently, the NATO’s own style of (making the community of common values) increased communication with authoritarian states which are in the attire of democratic states possess exponential role in the contemporary times. Further, it also formulate the sub-dialogues aside from United Nations with states sharing common values. The programs like “Partnership for Peace” and “Contact Nations” are highly influential in institutionalizing.
Given the role played by NATO in 21st century on the stage, it’s future prospects are no more in perils. There isn’t any omen of it’s declining membership. The humanitarian crises and modern security threats are facts that will continue to exert in future and that time will bring NATO to it’s heights of prominence. Without a hint of hiperbole NATO doesn’t fulfil the same function as it used to, but it is still a highly relevant organization due to the role it played in collective security, humanitarian crises, community of common values and international politics.
