NATO

                                                     NATO: A Brief Overview

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a political and military alliance founded on April 4, 1949. Originally formed by 12 countries, it was created to ensure collective defense in response to the threat posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Today, NATO has 32 member countries across North America and Europe.

At its core is Article 5, which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. This principle has only been invoked once—after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

NATO’s main goals are to safeguard the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. It promotes democratic values, encourages peaceful conflict resolution, and supports crisis management and cooperative security.

The alliance conducts joint military exercises, deploys troops in peacekeeping missions, and works with non-member partners to address global threats, including cyberattacks, terrorism, and hybrid warfare.

Despite criticism over military spending and strategic differences among members, NATO remains a key pillar of Western security and transatlantic unity in the 21st century.