What Does NATO Try to Accomplish in the post-Cold War Era?
Monday, 22 November 2010 NATO will forge its new strategic concept for the upcoming era after a decade-long period. Looking at the new concept one can easily grasp the desire of becoming a balancing power on a global scale. However, there is a tradeoff then for the new era: What will happen to the United Nations and to the role of the Security Council? Secondly, is there room for NATO to transform its system of values and functions for the new period? Looking at the existing structure, the priority of NATO seems to be the need for legitimization and a clear definition of the other to keep the bonds within the organization salient. When NATO was established in the post-World War II period there were mainly three goals. These can be summarized as Soviets out, Germans down and the U.S. in. In this sense, a militarist institution like NATO was necessary to balance a power like Soviet Union. Moreover, it would serve U.S. aims to create strong bonds with NATO member countries. Under the Cold
