NATO: An Institution Under Threat

What is in store for NATO Now that NATOs members apparently face no direct military threat, the need for the alliances continued existence is being questioned. However, current proposals to turn NATO into more of a political alliance than a military one have been for the most part vague and impractical. Dr. Honig believes that NATO indeed has a future and, after examining how NATO has functioned in the past, suggests that the alliance does not need the pressure of direct military threats or an enhanced political role in order to survive. Instead the author contends that if we recognize NATO for what it has been and still isa framework for military cooperation and consultation on security issuesthen its continued role in an uncertain world seems assured.