Five Ways To Improve NATO

Prospective partners include multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, European Union, World Bank and OSCE. It also includes like-minded and capable non-NATO states such as Sweden, Finland and Australia. Both the operations in Afghanistan and Libya have made clear: When NATO acts out-of-area, it is absolutely vital that it partners with local friends and allies in the Middle East or Asia.

Achieving joint planning comes up hard against sovereignty issues and thus will require significant political will. However, there are some relatively easy wins in the areas of joint training and basing, and some longer-term ones in supporting closer intelligence and information sharing among member states leading to better early warning.

A first step is common threat perception, which can support better joint planning and strategy, and can, in time, lead to collaboration on future capability acquisition and divestment. This is all the more vital as defence budgets remain stagnant.

As the Second World War and the Cold War fade into the distance, there are fewer people that recognize the need for defence and national security and are willing to prioritize it over other social, educational and other domestic issues. Without public support it will be impossible for NATO members to make some of the political decisions that are required. NATO members, supported by the institution itself, therefore have to prioritize their domestic public diplomacy.

To be sure, NATO has been able to adapt to emerging security requirements: Afghanistan and the Balkans being notable examples. However, the challenges are becoming more diverse and complex and faster moving. NATO needs command structures designed for this.