NATO

The members of NATO’s original objectives were to defend Europe from communism and the Soviet Union. Now those threats are void, but NATO’s three defined goals are still to provide collective defense, crisis management, and collective security. NATO is important to the United States’ foreign policy and national interests. Article V of the Washington Treaty guarantees collective security, or that an attack against one ally is an attack against all. This article of the Treaty has been invoked once so far in response to the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. This continues to be a very pertinent issue considering the growing threats of terrorism throughout the United States and Europe. NATO is also present in the affairs in the Middle East, especially Afghanistan as it leads the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) where it conducts missions and extensive training exercises to offer support to allies. The United States is very involved in the affairs of European nations and its foreign policy is assisted by the traditional roles of NATO in counterterrorism and defending the allied nations.