NATO IN SEARCH FOR A NEW IDENTITY. FROM COLLECTIVE DEFENSE TO COLLECTIVE SECURITY
NATO IN SEARCH FOR A NEW IDENTITY. FROM COLLECTIVE DEFENSE TO COLLECTIVE SECURITY

Summary/Abstract: THIS PAPER PROVIDES A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY FROM A THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE THAT EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLECTIVE SECURITY IN PROMOTING AND MAINTAINING INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE PARTNERSHIP OF COMMITTED STATES. THE STUDY IS BUILT AROUND THE ROLE OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION AS A BASTION OF UNITY, SOLIDARITY, PEACEKEEPING AND SECURITY BETWEEN NATIONS. THE PURPOSE IS TO ANALYZE THE EVOLUTION OF NATO FROM A COLLECTIVE DEFENSE ORGANIZATION DURING THE PERIOD OF COLD WAR, TO A COLLECTIVE SECURITY ORGANIZATION IN OUR PRESENT DAYS. IN THE LIGHT OF THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED THE FALL OF COMMUNISM IN EUROPE, THE PRINCIPLE OF COLLECTIVE SECURITY HAS STARTED TO REPLACE THE CONCEPT OF COLLECTIVE DEFENSE, BY SHAPING NATO DIMENSION FROM A REGIONAL DEFENSE ORGANIZATION TO AN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ORGANIZATION IN THE EURO-ATLANTIC REGION. BY FULFILLING ITS COMMITMENT TO PROTECT AND ENSURE PEACE ON THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT AGAINST VARIOUS THREATS, SUCH AS COMMUNISM EXPANSION, CIVIL WARS AND TERRORIST ATTACKS, THE ALLIANCE CAN BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST SUITABLE EXAMPLES THAT ILLUSTRATES THE CONCEPT OF COLLECTIVE SECURITY. THE EMPIRICAL DATA USE TO ANALYZE THE ROLE OF NATO REGARDING THE CONCEPT OF COLLECTIVE SECURITY INCLUDES RELEVANT ARTICLES AND REPORTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, SECURITY STUDIES AND POLITICAL SCIENCES FIELD. THE FINDINGS REVEALED THAT IMPORTANT EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 21ST CENTURY, SUCH AS THE ENLARGEMENT OF NATO, NEW THREATS TO THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND A CHANGE FROM DIRECT THREATS TO RISK SITUATIONS HAS SHAPED A NEW IDENTITY AND EXTENDED THE ROLE OF THE ALLIANCE TO A MORE GLOBAL ONE. ALSO, WE CAN ARGUE THAT NATO’S MEMBERS HAVE CHANGED THEIR APPROACH FROM A STATIC, REACTIVE AND TERRITORIAL CONCEPT OF COLLECTIVE DEFENSE TOWARD A PROACTIVE AND ANTICIPATORY APPROACH

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