Changes

=== Modern History ===

=== Modern History ===

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 in 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. Responding to the attack on the World Trade Center, NATO countries quickly responded as they had promise in Article Five of the founding treating. 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 there GDP on defense. NATO Also agreed on its new focus, terrorism. As  Spain’s former prime minster [[José María Aznar]], said, “Jihadism has replaced Communism, as Communism replaced Nazism, as an existential threat to the liberal democracies.”

NATO began to look for its new goal in the 21 century. Then on September 11, 2001, its goal was defined. Responding to the attack on the World Trade Center, NATO countries quickly responded as they had promise in Article Five of the founding treating. 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, “Jihadism has replaced Communism, as Communism replaced Nazism, 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 rife in the in 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. NATO and some non-member states joined (such as Australia and Japan), 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 re stricted 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. NATO and some non-member states joined (such as Australia and Japan), 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 Members==

==NATO Members==