What is NATO and what is its purpose?
AI Overview
NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a military alliance that protects the security of its members. It was established in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European countries.
Purpose
- Security: NATO’s purpose is to protect the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.
- Democracy: NATO promotes democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defense and security issues.
- Conflict prevention: NATO works to prevent conflict by building trust and solving problem
How NATO operates
- Collective defense: Article 5 of the Washington Treaty states that an attack on one member is an attack on all members.
- Consultations: Article 4 of the treaty ensures consultations among members on security matters.
- Crisis management: NATO conducts multinational crisis-management operations.