Rethinking NATO

The last three years have seen tectonic shifts in International affairs. Historians will no doubt look back and assert that clearly this or that event was the defining moment. For policy makers who have to grapple with day to day concerns in an increasingly fast moving environment, the task is much more difficult. In this article I will try to set out one man’s view of how NATO has responded to these changes, how the perceptions of those within the Alliance are often at odds with those outside, to show how circumstances have forced change on both the military and civilian arms and how the events of 11 September herald another round of change which may radically change the nature of the Alliance we have known over the past 50 years. This is very much a personal reflection and not na official British Government view. It is based on discussions with those at the heart of the policy debate and on my own experiences as a serving officer both in the diplomatic and military world.