Enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization: Creating a Wider, DeeperRiver

摘要

The security landscape in Europe is under transition. The fall of the Berlin Walland the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact created opportunities for former Communist countries to develop democratic forms of government and market based economies. These newly independent countries in Central and Eastern Europe are embracing pro-Western political, economic, and military orientations. However, threats exist in the form of neo-nationalism and expansionist forces that could derail the reform movement. The U.S. must lead the effort to establish a security architecture in Europe that facilitates the political and economic reforms, and that can respond to present and future threats. In this way the U.S. protects its vital national interest in Europe, which in its simplest form is stability throughout the continent so that no single entity threatens a country's sovereign right to develop a democratic government and open market economy. The cornerstone to the new security architecture is NATO enlargement. The inclusion of new members into NATO as they meet specific prerequisites, which is somewhat expensive, along with the expansion of other Western institutions provides the stability needed for political, economic, and military reform. In addition, gradual, cautious, and transparent enlargement minimizes Russian concerns regarding the eastward movement of NATO.