Evolution of Nato in the Post-cold War Era

NATO has successfully provided security and stability in Europe through the Cold War era. However, the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact has changed the strategic environment in Europe. The new situation is defined by these significant facts: x A direct confrontation between two superpowers does not seem possible x Present day Russia does not have the influence zone it used to have x Some new nation states have appeared while others have disappeared x Geopolitical changes generate unrest and could spawn violent conflicts (e.g., Former Yugoslavia) x NATO has made fundamental political and organizational changes to reshape herself to match the emerging security challenges This situation affects all European countries and the North Atlantic alliance’s members. These changes do not affect all countries in the same way, because of their different geographical location, and their different internal political and economic circumstances. Working within a framework of fundamental questions and issues common to all members, three individual country perspectives from Denmark, Germany, and Spain are presented. In a final compare and contrast analysis between these country perspectives, the paper identifies major similarities in key areas influencing NATO’s future development. Based on these findings, this paper will establish that the North Atlantic alliance is still the best option for maintaining military stability and security in Europe, even though the circumstances have changed since 1989.