Changes

NATO acceptance of Western European countries in 1995 led Soviet Russia to set up a counter organization, The Warsaw Treaty Organization (or Warsaw Pact).  Common defense and the ongoing MAD strategy, and economic crisis led the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Treaty Organization’s to its demise. NATO’s transatlantic relations and prevention where 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 European countries in 1995 led Soviet Russia to set up a counter organization, The Warsaw Treaty Organization (or Warsaw Pact).  Common defense and the ongoing MAD strategy, and economic crisis led the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Treaty Organization’s to its demise. NATO’s transatlantic relations and prevention where 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 ===

After the fall of the [[Soviet Union]] and the end of the [[Cold War]]. NATO had seemed to lose it purpose; 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 on a bombing campaign to stop [[Yugoslav]] President Slobodan Milošević's ethic cleansing of the Albanian’s inside of [[Kosovo]]. Interestedly, [[Turkey]] one of the leading forces on the NATO mission, was having similar problems inside its country with its treatment of its Kurdish population at the very same time. The mission in [[Kosovo]] did not go as well as planed. After the air strikes, havoc reigned over [[Kosovo]], abuses continued and human right organizations listed abuses committed by the Alliance members on the campaign. In an attempt to solve the violence NATO countries and the [[UN]] took on a mission to stabilize and reconstruct the country which is currently ongoing.

After the fall of the [[Soviet Union]] and the end of the [[Cold War]]. NATO had seemed to lose it purpose; 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 on a bombing campaign to stop [[Yugoslav]] President Slobodan Milošević's ethic cleansing of the Albanian’s inside of [[Kosovo]]. Ironically, [[Turkey]] one of the leading forces on the NATO mission, was having similar problems inside its country with its treatment of its Kurdish population at the very same time. 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 [[UN]] took on a mission to stabilize and reconstruct the country which is currently ongoing.

=== 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.  

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 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,"

=== 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 a mission in [[Iraq]] of training the new government’s security force. As a result only one NATO members was able to send more troops to the Afghanistan mission.

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 a mission in [[Iraq]] of training the new government’s security force. As a result only one NATO member was able to send more troops to the Afghanistan mission.