Why Is NATO: Unnecessary Or Necessary?

Ever since the Cold War ended, the usefulness of the NATO alliance has been called into question by many participating countries across the world. In a world where the threat of nuclear warfare between the Soviet Union, now Russia, and the United States is no longer nearly as likely, many scrutinize NATO as being an unnecessary relic from the past. To me however, NATO no longer represents an alliance meant to counter the USSR but a means in which member countries can further their shared interests while maintaining their security through the threat of force by all other NATO members, otherwise known as ‘collective defense’. The alliance has evolved over the years, and while it is not as vital as it was during the Cold War, it still remains an important part of our foreign relations and is a strong deterrent for those who whish to provoke member nations. NATO’s relevance remains to this day, and we can see this through the first use of collective defense after the attacks on 9/11. Even during the Cold War this was not used, …show more content…
Currently member nations are much more focused on the Middle-East and Northern Africa, and as crises occur in the region that fall under the interests of those in NATO, actions can be taken much quicker than if there were no pre-existing body. Membership in this alliance provides us with not only protection but also preparation for a wide number of foreign policy crises that can occur at any time. Lastly, having a large and diverse population of countries included in NATO provides members with a great deal of information and insight into many regions of the world. Provided that they do not fall into traps such as groupthink, having such a broad range of countries on board can help to spur brand new ideas and challenge those that are not as