NATO Enlargement. Issues and Answers

• Main Authors: Arnold, Jason, Grier, Samuel
• Other Authors: AIR UNIV MAXWELL AFB AL AIRPOWER JOURNAL
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1998
• Subjects: Government and Political Science; Military Forces and Organizations; *UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT; *GOVERNMENT(FOREIGN); *NATO; CRISIS MANAGEMENT; EUROPEAN UNION; SECURITY; RUSSIA; POLAND; CZECH REPUBLIC; HUNGARY; UKRAINE; STABILITY; REPRINTS; MILITARY FORCES(UNITED STATES); MILITARY FORCES(FOREIGN); NATO ENLARGEMENT; PFP(PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE); COLLECTIVE DEFENSE; CONFLICT PREVENTION; SECURITY GUARANTEES; ADMISSION CRITERIA; COMMAND STRUCTURE; NUCLEAR POSTURE; WEU(WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION); NACC(NORTH ATLANTIC COOPERATION COUNCIL); North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA529587; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA529587

The time is right for NATO enlargement. It is an idea consistent with historic pressures and offers the Alliance revitalization and enhanced relevance in Europe's emerging strategic landscape. The most monumental task facing the West since the cold war, NATO enlargement represents the true spirit of the emerging international order: removal of dividing lines, evolution of cooperation, and joint maintenance of regional stability to mutual benefit. Inviting Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to join is a modest beginning and in keeping with NATO's goal to enhance security and project stability. Although lingering distrust between cold war enemies and the inherent problems caused by conflicting priorities promise to be a source of contention between current NATO countries and its new members, one can expect that the new NATO will renovate European security and ultimately strengthen the trans-Atlantic relationship. Published in Airpower Journal, p71-83, Summer 1998.