NATO'S NEW STRATEGIC CONCEPT: A CRITICAL VIEW.
The changes that followed the adoption of the previous NATO's strategic concept in 1999 forced a review of its goals, threats and risks, as well as a new look at the capabilities of the organization at a time dominated by the economic crisis and cuts in its members' defence budgets. On this occasion, the development of a strategic concept begun with a proposal made by a commission of experts, and a public debate which transformed the final text into a diplomatic document, not into a true useful document capable of guiding strategic planning over the next decade. These differences between the goals established by the document and the actual resources available to NATO were noted immediately with regard to the crisis management system, for which the organization does not possess the structures and civil means. It is not clear either that this limitation can be solved through cooperation with the EU. The involvement of NATO in the international mission in Libya will be the first test to ascertain the validity and effectiveness of this new strategic concept.
Reflection
Strengths:1. The capacities, organization (High Commands) and military experience that make NATO the most effective organization that has existed in the last half century; 2. A good part of that efficacy is due to the participation of three of the major military powers in the world which, besides, benefit from a combination of conventional and nuclear means; 3. That has given NATO not only an incredible and effective dissuasive ability, but also a proven capacity of power projection at regional and world levels.Weaknesses1. The military hegemony historically held by the United States, which has hindered the development of military capacities of European allies and their political will to assume the roles imposed by regional and world defence, at a time when Washington increasingly shifts its strategic priorities towards the Pacific, not towards the Euro- Atlantic region; 2. The insufficient institutional development of the Alliance's political structure in relation to its military structure, which has continuously incapacitated NATO to take on and adapt to the new world strategic and diplomatic situations; 3. The increasing discrepancy of geo-strategic interests among the allies which, together with the system of decision by consensus, is creating an internal political blockade which will become even more complex with the adherence of new members, such as the Ukraine or Georgia.
No experimentCritical assessment of the New Conceptual Strategy in the light of the new system of world security
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