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Sean Kay on “NATO’s Strategic Concept”

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Horst Siedschlag says: 25 Jun 2010 18:20

Just as a follow-up to the stimulating roundtable discussion today. From an academic viewpoint, Prof. Kay's main line of arguments on the (non-) future of NATO might be justified, - we had the same kind of discussion after the break-down of the Soviet empire in the period 1989-1991 in the preparation of NATO's first new Strategic Concept replacing the Cold War "Flexible Response" doctrine. At that time, at least in Europe, it was fashionable in the wider "Strategic Community" to develop visions about "overarching (pan-European)security structures" which would, over time, assume NATO's role, in particular by strengthening the CSCE (then becoming OSCE) and developing a European security + defence dimension, both within the Alliance ("European pillar") and the EC (later EU) via the WEU. Why did such visions not become political realities and, 20 years after the London Summit had launched the preparation of the first Strategic Concept, NATO has become even more indispensable in terms of international security? It is for the same reasons why Eisenhower's remark from the early days of NATO did not materialise, when he said that this Alliance should no longer be needed in 5 years time (as Prof. Kay mentioned). It was in 1954, ie. exactly 5 years after the founding of NATO, that the project of a European Defence Community (in the framework of a Political Union)failed in the French Parliament, which - in order to fully integrate/control West-Germany - led to the re-surrection of the Western European Union, which, in turn, entrusted all military capabilities to NATO. Conclusion: Visions and "thinking beyond the box" are needed, in particular as far as defence institutions are concerned, - they are per se "conservative" and "change averse". However, what counts are political realities in the member states, including perceptions by the wider public about immediate priorities, and the strength and convincing arguments of political leaders. For this reason, unfortunately, I do not see much prospect with regard to the "Europe option" taking over NATO's security and defence role, at least not in the medium term (ie. 2020 which would be the time horizon for the emerging new Strategic Concept).

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About this Event

25 Jun 2010 @ 12:45

Download the Audio Podcast of this event here

About the Event:

In April 2009, the Heads of State and Government of NATO Member States tasked NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, with the task of developing a new Strategic Concept to be approved at the Lisbon Summit in November 2010. NATO has not revised its strategic concept since 1999, prior to the events of 9/11 and prior to the accession to the EU of ten central and eastern European countries.  

Professor Kay will share his thoughts on how NATO will equip itself to deal with the security threats, both military and non military, of the 21st century.

About the Speaker: 

Sean Kay is Full Professor in the Department of Politics and Government at Ohio Wesleyan University specializing in international politics, international security, international organizations, and U.S. foreign and defense policy.  He is also the Chair of the International Studies Program.  Sean Kay is a Mershon Associate at the Mershon Center for International Security Studies at Ohio State University and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Eisenhower Institute in Washington, D.C. specializing in international security.

In the U.S. Department of Defense, Professor Kay worked on policy and analysis dealing with NATO enlargement, the Balkans, NATO’s internal transformation, and U.S.-Russia relations.  He was also an advisor to the Department of State on NATO enlargement.

Publications include the books:

Global Security in the 21st Century:  The Quest for Power and the Search for Peace;

NATO after 50 Years; and

The Future of European Security  

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