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[[Image:NATO1.gif‎|thumb|300px| NATO committee.]]

[[Image:NATO1.gif‎|thumb|300px| NATO committee.]]

The '''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''' (NATO) is a military alliance of 26 nations, founded in 1949.  Its current secretary is [[Jaap de Hoop Scheffer]] of the [[Netherlands]].  

The '''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''' (NATO) is a military alliance of 28 nations, founded in 1949.  Its current secretary is [[Jaap de Hoop Scheffer]] of the [[Netherlands]].  

==History==

==History==

=== Cold War ===

=== Cold War ===

NATO acceptance of Western [[Europe]]an countries in 1955 led Soviet Russia to set up a counter organization, The [[Warsaw Treaty Organization]] (or Warsaw Pact). Common defense, the ongoing MAD strategy, and economic crisis led the [[Soviet Union]] and the Warsaw Pact to its demise. NATO’s transatlantic relations and prevention were key to the end of the [[Cold War]] and the beginning of a interlinking of United States and European policies, which still remains to this day.

NATO acceptance of Western [[Europe]]an countries in 1955 led Soviet Russia to set up a counter organization, The [[Warsaw Treaty Organization]] (or Warsaw Pact). Common defense, the ongoing MAD strategy, and economic crisis led the [[Soviet Union]] and the Warsaw Pact to its demise. NATO’s transatlantic relations and prevention were key to the end of the [[Cold War]], and the beginning of a interlinking of United States and European policies, which still remains to this day.

=== Kosovo ===

=== Kosovo ===

[[File:Apartment building burns in Belgrade 1999 after NATO air raids on power grid in Serbia..jpg|thumb|left|250px|Apartment building burns in Belgrade in 1999. The building caught fire as residents were cooking with firewood during a power blackout after NATO air raids on power grid in Serbia.]]

[[File:Apartment building burns in Belgrade 1999 after NATO air raids on power grid in Serbia..jpg|thumb|left|250px|Apartment building burns in Belgrade in 1999. The building caught fire as residents were cooking with firewood during a power blackout after NATO air raids on power grid in Serbia.]]

After the fall of the [[Soviet Union]] and the end of the [[Cold War]]. NATO had seemed to lose it purpose as it no longer had the threat of USSR. NATO began to shift its focus to from its original defense alliance to a more offensive mode. In 1999 the [[United States]] led its NATO allies on a bombing campaign to stop [[Yugoslav]] President Slobodan Milošević's ethic cleansing of the Albanians inside of [[Kosovo]]. The mission in [[Kosovo]] did not go as well as planned. After the air strikes, havoc reigned over [[Kosovo]], abuses continued and human rights organizations listed abuses committed by the Alliance members during the campaign. In an attempt to solve the violence NATO countries and the [[United Nations]] took on a mission to stabilize and reconstruct the country. A mission which is currently ongoing. The OTAN intervention was illegal, destructive, and based on fraudulent claims. <ref> [http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=1666 The U.S.-NATO Military Intervention in Kosovo.] </ref>

After the fall of the [[Soviet Union]] and the end of the [[Cold War]], NATO appeared to lose it purpose as it no longer had the threat of USSR. NATO began to shift its focus to from its original defense alliance to a more offensive mode. In 1999, the [[United States]] led its NATO allies on a bombing campaign to stop [[Yugoslav]] President Slobodan Milošević's ethic cleansing of the Albanians inside of [[Kosovo]]. The mission in [[Kosovo]] did not go as well as planned. After the air strikes, havoc reigned over [[Kosovo]], abuses continued and human rights organizations listed abuses committed by the Alliance members during the campaign. In an attempt to solve the violence, NATO countries and the [[United Nations]] took on a mission to stabilize and reconstruct the country, a mission which is currently ongoing. The OTAN intervention was illegal, destructive, and based on fraudulent claims. <ref> [http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=1666 The U.S.-NATO Military Intervention in Kosovo.] </ref>

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

=== Modern History ===

=== Modern History ===

[[Image:FormerSoDDRNATO.JPG‎ |thumb|320px|Former [[United States]] [[Secretary of Defense]], [[Donald Rumsfeld]] addressing NATO]]

[[Image:FormerSoDDRNATO.JPG‎ |thumb|320px|Former [[United States]] [[Secretary of Defense]], [[Donald Rumsfeld]] addressing NATO]]

After Kosovo, NATO’s ability to be an offensive organization was in question. Some called for the abolishment of the organization, stating that it had lost it original purpose.  

After Kosovo, NATO’s ability to be an offensive organization was called into question. Some called for the abolishment of the organization, stating that it had lost it original purpose.  

NATO began to look for its new goal in the 21 century. Then on September 11, 2001, its goal was defined. After the attacks on the [[World Trade Centers]] and [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] by terrorist, NATO countries quickly responded to come to the [[United States]] aid as they had promise in Article Five of their founding treating. AWACS airplanes were sent on surveillance and NATO began its first and only article five mission to this day, [[Operation Active Endeavo]]r, which was a Maritime mission to protect the Mediterranean from terrorist operations and drug and WMD trafficking. After the end of the [[Cold War]], European defense spending had weakened and its military lacked technology and modernization.  In 2002, NATO met for its annual summit, which was held in [[Prague]]. The 19 country alliance made a list of improvements that its members needed to make in order to effectively fight the war on terror, these improvements called for, among other thing, a NATO Military Concept for Defense against Terrorism.  NATO members also took steps to modernize there forces, all 19 countries agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense. NATO also agreed on its new focus, terrorism. As  Spain’s former prime minster [[José María Aznar]], said, “[[Jihad]]ism has replaced Communism, as Communism replaced [[Nazi]]sm, as an existential threat to the liberal democracies.”

NATO began to look for its new goal in the 21 century. After the attacks on the [[World Trade Centers]] and [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] on September 11, 2001, NATO countries quickly responded by aiding the [[United States]], as they had promised in Article Five of their founding treaty. AWACS airplanes were sent on surveillance, and NATO began its first and only article five mission to this day, [[Operation Active Endeavor]], which was a Maritime mission to protect the Mediterranean from terrorist operations and drug and WMD trafficking.  

 

After the end of the [[Cold War]], European defense spending had weakened and its military lacked technology and modernization.  In 2002, NATO met for its annual summit, which was held in [[Prague]]. The 19 country alliance made a list of improvements that its members needed to make in order to effectively fight the war on terror, these improvements called for, among other thing, a NATO Military Concept for Defense against Terrorism.  NATO members also took steps to modernize there forces, all 19 countries agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense. NATO also agreed on its new focus, terrorism. As  Spain’s former prime minster [[José María Aznar]], said, “[[Jihad]]ism has replaced Communism, as Communism replaced [[Nazi]]sm, as an existential threat to the liberal democracies.”

=== Further Expansion and Russian Relations ===

=== Further Expansion and Russian Relations ===

In 2004, NATO further expanded to Eastern European countries, these included [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Slovakia]], [[Slovenia]], [[Bulgaria]] and [[Romania]], resulting in an organization of 26 nations.  This spark of expansion was seen as an offensive move by [[Russia]] and caused a rift in the NATO, Russia relations. The Russian lower house released to the press a statement, "At present we are debating the draft statement of the State Duma which we are planning to adopt in connection with NATO's expansion eastward. Our opinion is equivocal that this act is erroneous. I think that this is a big historical mistake on the part of western states."

In 2004, NATO further expanded to Eastern European countries, these included [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Slovakia]], [[Slovenia]], [[Bulgaria]] and [[Romania]], resulting in an organization of 26 nations.  This spark of expansion was seen as an offensive move by [[Russia]] and caused a rift in the NATO, Russia relations. The Russian lower house released to the press a statement, "At present we are debating the draft statement of the State Duma which we are planning to adopt in connection with NATO's expansion eastward. Our opinion is equivocal that this act is erroneous. I think that this is a big historical mistake on the part of western states."

=== Afghanistan ===

=== Afghanistan ===

NATO took command and co-ordination of the [[International Security Assistance Force]] (ISAF) in August, 2003. When NATO and some non-member states joined (such as [[Australia]] and [[Japa]]n), the initial mission was limited to [[Kabul]], but soon expanded. In 2006, when NATO took over full command over the Afghanistan operation, the [[Taliban]] began a major campaign. Commanders complained that their forces were being restricted by national caveats and also that they needed more troops. In the November of 2006, at another NATO summit in [[Riga]], NATO countries removed 15% of caveats placed on troops. NATO called on member governments to provide more troops to their mission in Afghanistan but countries capability's were stretched thin in [[Kosovo]] as well as their mission in [[Iraq]] of training the new Iraqi government’s security force.

NATO took command and co-ordination of the [[International Security Assistance Force]] (ISAF) in August 2003. When NATO and some non-member states joined (such as [[Australia]] and [[Japa]]n), the initial mission was limited to [[Kabul]], but soon expanded. In 2006, when NATO took over full command over the Afghanistan operation, the [[Taliban]] began a major campaign. Commanders complained that their forces were being restricted by national restrictions, and that they needed more troops. In November 2006, at another NATO summit in [[Riga]], NATO countries removed 15% of restrictions placed on troops. NATO called on member governments to provide more troops to their mission in Afghanistan, but several countries had their resources stretched thin in [[Kosovo]], as well as their mission in [[Iraq]] of training the new Iraqi government’s security force.

=== [[Libyan uprising 2011]] ===

=== [[Libyan uprising 2011]] ===

[[File:Libya helicopter tigre NATO.jpg|right|280px]]

[[File:Libya helicopter tigre NATO.jpg|right|280px]]

UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973 of March 17, 2011 followed on the heels of Gaddafi’s public threat on March 2 to throw western oil companies out of Libya, and his invitation on March 14 to Chinese, Russian, and Indian firms to produce Libyan oil in their place.<ref>''[http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/7661/Business/Economy/Gaddafi-offers-Libyan-oil-production-to-India,-Rus.aspx Gaddafi offers Libyan oil production to India, Russia, China,] Agence France-Presse, March 14, 2011.</ref> China, Russia, India and Brazil all abstained on UNSC Resolution 1973.

UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973 of March 17, 2011 followed on the heels of Gaddafi’s public threat on March 2, 2011 to throw western oil companies out of Libya, and his invitation on March 14 to Chinese, Russian, and Indian firms to produce Libyan oil in their place.<ref>''[http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/7661/Business/Economy/Gaddafi-offers-Libyan-oil-production-to-India,-Rus.aspx Gaddafi offers Libyan oil production to India, Russia, China,] Agence France-Presse, March 14, 2011.</ref> China, Russia, India and Brazil all abstained on UNSC Resolution 1973.

 

Despite France taking the lead role in the intervention, the Congressional Research Service reports, "Only the United States and NATO possess the command and control capabilities necessary for coalition operations enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya." France only recently rejoined the NATO alliance, in 2008, after a 40 year absence. The Congressional Research Service, which analyzes information and prepares reports for members of Congress, also states,

Despite France taking the lead role in the intervention, the Congressional Research Service reports, "Only the United States and NATO possess the command and control capabilities necessary for coalition operations enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya." France only recently rejoined the NATO alliance, in 2008, after a 40 year absence. The Congressional Research Service, which analyzes information and prepares reports for members of Congress, also states,

[[File:NATO air strike on Tripoli Libya.jpg|left|300px|NATO air strike on Tripoli, Libya.]]

[[File:NATO air strike on Tripoli Libya.jpg|left|300px|NATO air strike on Tripoli, Libya.]]

Of Nato's 28 members, 14 are said to be "actively participating," but only 6 have provided military support. Of the 22-country [[Arab League]], whose appeal prompted the United Nations to vote on intervention, only [[Qatar]] and the [[United Arab Emirates]] are involved. Of the 192 members of the [[UN General Assembly]], who all have a legal "responsibility to protect" civilians attacked by their own governments, only [[Sweden]] has responded.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/19/libya-mission-military-advisory-team</ref>

Of Nato's 28 members, 14 are said to be "actively participating," but only 6 have provided military support. Of the 22-country [[Arab League]], whose appeal prompted the United Nations to vote on intervention, only [[Qatar]] and the [[United Arab Emirates]] are involved. Of the 192 members of the [[UN General Assembly]], who all have a legal "responsibility to protect" civilians attacked by their own governments, only [[Sweden]] has responded.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/19/libya-mission-military-advisory-team</ref>

NATO planes and ships have been striking cities and military installations in Libya since mid-March, 2011. Allied military officials have spoken in recent weeks of the need for escalation to help protect Libyan civilians and have called for Gaddafi to step down. Libyan officials have said that NATO is picking sides in a civil war and complained that strikes on Gaddafi’s Tripoli compound are attempts to assassinate the leader of a sovereign country. NATO launched its largest airstrike against Moammar Gaddafi’s regime on May, 24, 2011, with at least 15 massive explosions rocking the Libyan capital. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/french-officials-france-and-britain-to-use-attack-helicopters-in-libya/2011/05/23/AFTF909G_story.html?hpid=z2]

NATO planes and ships have been striking cities and military installations in Libya since mid-March, 2011. Allied military officials have spoken in recent weeks of the need for escalation to help protect Libyan civilians and have called for Gaddafi to step down. Libyan officials have said that NATO is picking sides in a civil war and complained that strikes on Gaddafi’s Tripoli compound are attempts to assassinate the leader of a sovereign country. NATO launched its largest airstrike against Moammar Gaddafi’s regime on May, 24, 2011, with at least 15 massive explosions rocking the Libyan capital. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/french-officials-france-and-britain-to-use-attack-helicopters-in-libya/2011/05/23/AFTF909G_story.html?hpid=z2]

==NATO Members==

==NATO Members==

| [[Istanbul, Turkey]]

| [[Istanbul, Turkey]]

| Fifth Round, 2004  

| Fifth Round, 2004  

|-

|-

*[http://www.fair.org/extra/9907/kosovo-crimes.html Legitimate Targets?] How U.S. Media Supported War Crimes in Yugoslavia.

*[http://www.fair.org/extra/9907/kosovo-crimes.html Legitimate Targets?] How U.S. Media Supported War Crimes in Yugoslavia.

*[http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=1666 The U.S.-NATO Military Intervention in Kosovo.] Triggering ethnic conflict as a pretext for intervention.

*[http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=1666 The U.S.-NATO Military Intervention in Kosovo.] Triggering ethnic conflict as a pretext for intervention.

== References ==

== References ==