ABSTRACT
NATO today is a strategic security and defense hub that can project both military and partnership power worldwide. However, the job of today’s Alliance is as it ever was: to safeguard the freedom and security of its member nations through political and security means founded upon the values of democracy, liberty, rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes. To that end, NATO provides a strategic forum for consultations between North Americans and Europeans on security issues of common concern and the facility for taking joint action to deal with them. Even today, an attack upon one member is an
attack on all. However, in an age where crisis management tops most security agendas, rather than territorial defense, NATO acts as a vital strategic and regional stabilizer enabling diplomacy through robust military capabilities. Today’s NATO is constructed around four objectives. First, NATO is transforming the militaries of its members to cope with a rapidly changing strategic environment. Second, the Alliance is expanding its operations and missions, both in pursuit of stability and to counter terrorism. Third, NATO is adapting its forces to cope with the challenges posed by terrorism, failed states and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and opening them to new partners, both civil and military. Fourth, the further development of a working partnership with the European Union.
