A Word From Afar: Is NATO No More?

NATO was, in its day, the prime example of a collective security alliance. Ideologically united in its anti-Communism and rooted in capitalist economics, Western Europe and North America militarily grounded their alliance in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Its purpose was to deter Soviet aggression with credible counter-force, and its strategic preparations were for a major regional war in Europe. Although NATO members undertook combat missions outside of the continent, the common focus was on its Eastern Front, centred along the Berlin Wall and Central European Plain. The end of the Cold War changed the threat environment in which NATO’s purpose and preparations were made, and the immediate response was to shift its strategic focus towards peace-keeping, low-intensity conflict (including counter-terrorism), cyberwarfare and activities other than war (such as humanitarian relief and search and rescue).  | Scoop News