North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)As the prime organ of NATO, the North Atlantic Council (NAC) is charged with charting the course of the Alliance and coordinate interests among the 28 states it unites in mutual defense and common interest. The result of common defense and security fears and policies from the Cold War, the North Atlantic Council now also deals with global missions ranging from combatting terrorism, piracy and beyond. Its efforts have far reaching consequences as it contains the worlds most advanced militaries and intelligence services. Truly a global actor, the NAC is a powerful entity in global geo-politics.
Topic Studyguide
Studyguide NATO
Topic Overview
Topic A: The North-East African situation and the NATO missions on the region. On 28 October, the North Atlantic Council confirmed the decision to end Operation Unified Protector on 31 October. Secretary General Rasmussen described the mission as “one of the most successful in NATO history.” He noted that NATO Allies and their non-NATO Partners had undertaken the operation so that the people of Libya could take “their future firmly and safely into their own hands. Since March 2011, a coalition of NATO Allies and non-NATO contributors had been protecting civilians under threat of attack in Libya, enforcing an arms embargo and maintaining a no-fly zone. Meanwhile, in the horn of Africa, building on previous counter-piracy missions, Operation Ocean Shield is focusing on at-sea counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa. Decided on 17 August 2009 by the North Atlantic Council, this operation is contributing to international efforts to combat piracy in the area. The issue we have to face now is: what happens next? The role of NATO had been fundamental to keep order and security in the north-east african region, but to what extent the results of this operations could last in this area? We have to develop a new way of conceiving NATO's missions, in order to provide a long lasting protection to civilians and states' security, reflecting on the structure of NATO's peacekeeping duty.
Topic B: The development of NATO's strategy and missile defense system. As the principal purpose of NATO is to protect and collaborate on the protection of all member parties, on 1990 a ballistic missile defense system, based on two principal objectives: protection of deployed troops, and protection of European territory. In this way the Strategy concept of NATO, establish: “(NATO will) develop the capability to defend our populations and territories against ballistic missile attack as a core element of our collective defense, which contributes to the indivisible security of our alliance.” Which lead us to talk about the new Strategy Concept, fundamental on the understanding of the crisis solution, and defense systems of NATO. Presented in November 19, 2011, by Secretary General Rasmussen, the new concept includes as complex points the new relations between the organization and Russia, as well as other international organizations, concept of preventive war, and the defense system. The issue in this situation is to determine how NATO would develop, understanding the problems the new century brings, and the dynamics of new warfare and defense, will permit the elaboration of proper defense measures, including responsibilities in order to respect the purposes of the alliance.