Citizen's Empire: The Mission for NATO: 2014 and Beyond

The Mission for NATO: 2014 and Beyond

For the Orwell fans amongst my readers, you may remember that in the novel, 1984, Russia had essentially taken control of all of Europe, with the United States annexing the United Kingdom. It was the Marshall plan, that prevented this from being a reality, and the strength of NATO that facilitated the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Countries such as Poland, exemplify the prosperity that can come with the integration of Western Norms. Unfortunately, combinations of corruption and crime, along with various national responses to the fiscal crisis of 2009, along with increased skepticism about the Alliance, stemming from America's decision to enter back into Iraq in 2003, have created seams of discontent as NATO allies have enjoyed a free ride behind the security of American military might. Much of Europe depends on American military bases, guarantees and posturing, but taking American investment in such defense for granted, they are quick to criticize American military action. The recent situation in Ukraine, where within Russian separatists continue to obstruct efforts to integrate Ukraine into the European Union and Crimea was annexed by Russia, have resulted in a renewed reminder about the importance of our NATO alliance. While I certainly respect Barack Obama's cool head and restraint in the conflict, following phone calls with Russia he seemed to empathize with Putin's grievance that Russia lost the Soviet Union, when he should have been drawing attention to the immense human suffering Russia's occupation of Eastern Europe inflicted on the local populaces. Such signals, and unwillingness to clearly commit to the security of Ukraine and other EU and Nato partners sends mixed messages, that American leadership needs to avoid. While the cradle of economic vitality may very well shift to the Pacific Rim and the US should make strategic considerations and reorganizations accordingly, it cannot retreat from the hard fought gains of the Cold War and allow for Russia to terrorize the sovereignty of our Eastern European allies. While European intellectualism lacks the love for military matters common in the United States, effective American leadership needs to lead the NATO alliance by providing a vision for its role in the coming decades. American needs to encourage increasing investment and commitment in NATO from European alliance members to continue not only containing Russia, but aggressively subduing terrorism, effectively policing cyber attacks, stabilizing young democracies in North Africa, deterring Iranian nuclear ambitions and take the lead for development projects in the regions beyond Europe away from China.

Russia's large professional military and rugged weaponry, at the direction of increasingly feisty and authoritarian Putin leadership, means that NATO remains as important to regional security and peace as it was in 1991. Russia has been increasingly protective of its client states, supporting some very bad men willing to consume Russian weapons, use them against their civilian populations and go against democratic aspirations in an effort to maintain priority placement for client state government contracts. This was the case in the Ivory Coast, this was the case in Libya, this was the case in Syria and this was the case in Ukraine. While America has advanced enterprise economies and the right to compete fairly within economic countries, Russia has continued to squash market forces, protect monopolies and prioritize Russian national interests over human rights. It has had no problem equipping terrorists and Islamists with AK47s and the real extent of its clandestine role in the civilian massacres around the world is unknown. Russia has popped its submarines up and flown fighter jets along the coast of California, and continues to engage in espionage and has even murdered democratically elected leadership in Eastern Europe. Putin has systematically cleared all opposition to his policies by tightly controlling the media and abusing the legal system to target political rivals. Russian professionalism, in the darker sense, has coincided with increasingly risky posturing, including stacking its tanks and 40,000 men along the Ukrainian border. With China and particularly Russia, continuing to use their Security Council votes to advance narrow self interests, that go against the interests of global security, NATO is going to have a renewed role as the primary forum for organizing international coalitions and actions against threats. Russia, undeniably, continues to be a threat, and will be one, particularly for our allies in Eastern Europe so long as the old KGB vanguard from which Putin emerged continues to breath. The promising young Democracy of Boris Yelsten was pummeled by a crafty alliance between Russian organized crime and the KGB, who positioned themselves to commandeer state assets and benefit from their fire sale following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Efforts at integrating Russia into the modern world have been frustrated by heavy handed abuses of their legal system and the emergence of an insulated plutocracy. Sparse populations and substantial natural resources secure a prosperous future for Russia's elite; integration into the global economy and liberal order could secure a prosperous and peaceful future for all Russians.

Terrorism is not the overplayed threat spotlighted in a few spectacular attacks, it is a near daily norm around the globe that demands persistent engagement and the exercise of decisive policy. The Arab Spring and resulting upheaval has weakened regional states' abilities to suppress and control various terrorist networks that have diversified their support structures into a range of organized crime activities centered around illicit smuggling. The chaos of Syria and the extensive number of US and European Visas recruited to join the fighting have been trained and radicalized and their return to their host countries will result in the development of operational terrorist cells that without forward defensive vigilance will carry out terrorist attacks. NATO and the EU are going to need to tighten their monitoring of passports and travel visas, while bolstering cooperative surveillance and policing operations to dismantle terrorist cells. Tensions between Muslim and non-muslim communities are likely to escalate, which will lead to tighter restrictions on visas and travel, along with increasing risks of hate crimes. If ISIS, in Iraq and Syria, for example, draws NATO into an escalated presence in Iraq, domestic security needs to increase its vigilance in preventing terrorism by arresting terrorists. While Interpol and national policing in Europe is first world and first rate, intelligence sharing from NATO military forces and our nations respective intelligence agencies is going to be crucial for optimal success.

Increasingly, our terrorist enemies, along with state backed clandestine agencies have used cyber attacks to gain information about Western military and business practices. Cyber crimes and terrorism have also accounted for general havoc across the internet and massive fraudulent wealth transfers. It has contributed to extensive incentives for sex trafficking and the range of other illicit activities that follow in its tail. Illicit activities have become means of financing more serious terrorist operations with an increasingly close intersect between the terrorist and criminal underworlds. Afghanistan poppies for example, at times smuggled into North Africa by Al-Qaeda, have become a common means of financing the Taliban's military operations. The sale to Europe in turn funds operations in North Africa. Cyber crime and terrorism, have become increasingly one and the same, as terrorist organizations have effectively used the internet to increase the number of sympathizers and potential recruits. Several terrorist actors have self-radicalized exclusively from the internet, avoiding the trail that travel to the Middle East and training with Jihadis provides counter-terrorism investigators. NATO, by facilitating better communication with domestic policing authorities, can pin-point the location of cyber terrorist attacks and crime, then dispatch policing authorities to make arrests and investigate. Such effective policing can deter cyber terrorists and criminals.

North Africa is a region where NATO's military professionalism and economic resources can contribute immensely to the stabilization and development of the young democracies and republics that have emerged from the Arab Spring. The upside on North African countries such as Libya and Nigeria is immense, but they are unquestionably vulnerable and a careful, coordinated, strategic approach to engagement, security and development must be pursued with energy and competence. Lax, minimalist approaches are unlikely to halt the influence of groups such as Boko Haram, Ansar Al-Sharia and Al-Qaeda. While regional governments have taken the lead and performed adequately in operations against these groups, a stronger NATO commitment to militarily defeating these terrorist organizations is necessary. Europe and NATO cannot afford to surrender the well being of friendly governments in the EU, the human rights of their people, or the resource rich territories to Islamist radicals and jihadi terrorists who, unfettered will continue to spread their contaminating ideology and use their gains to wage continued military advances against the liberal democratic aspirations of vulnerable populaces.

If Iran deludes itself into thinking that it can procure nuclear weapons without massive military intervention from Israel and NATO, then it will trigger a regional nuclear arms race with particular bearing to the security of our NATO partner, Turkey. The creation of a nuclear weapon in Iran, would free its clandestine Quds forces to increase their support for Hezbollah in Beirut and Bahrain, Al-Qaeda in Iraq and the PKK in Turkey, allowing it to exert increasing influence across the Muslim countries of North Africa, on the Arabian Peninsula and within Europe by way of its proxies. The security threat of a nuclear armed Iran is immense, and allowing for Iran to go nuclear would be an irresponsibly reckless security policy that everyone should be alarmed by. While the West obviously wants to avoid armed conflict with Iran and see the issues resolved diplomatically, it is important that we make it very clear that NATO will act together if necessary, to prevent Iran from building a nuclear arsenal.

NATO should continue to coordinate training and support for governments across responsible and cooperating governments across Africa and the Middle East, combining them with investments in development and business ventures that can marginalize an increasing Chinese influence in the region. While China's investment and commitment to development in the region is welcomed, it cannot come without the fair and friendly competition of NATO countries. NATO operated bases are necessary element of stability and a strategic projection of strength that should be expanded. The Peace loving doves of Europe need to understand the scientific truth, that at times, increased military presence, bases and weaponry is the most effective way to preserve and advance not only peace, but liberal ideals including enterprise, democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

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