With NATO marking the 70th anniversary of its founding, there is no better time for Germans to reflect on their own contributions to the Alliance. When it comes to ensuring European – and German – security, NATO is the only option.
BERLIN – NATO was founded 70 years ago to prevent war between the liberal-democratic West and the Soviet East. The fact that the Cold War never turned hot is a testament to its success. Moreover, whenever NATO has deployed troops, it has been authorized to do so by the United Nations Security Council or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The oft-criticized exception was its intervention in the Kosovo War; but in that instance, it put an end to an ethnic cleansing that was already underway.
BERLIN – NATO was founded 70 years ago to prevent war between the liberal-democratic West and the Soviet East. The fact that the Cold War never turned hot is a testament to its success. Moreover, whenever NATO has deployed troops, it has been authorized to do so by the United Nations Security Council or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The oft-criticized exception was its intervention in the Kosovo War; but in that instance, it put an end to an ethnic cleansing that was already underway.