NATO: Relevant in the Twenty-First Century?

In 1991, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) main adversary, the Soviet Union, ended the Cold War with the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact. To ensure their alliance's relevance, NATO members then re-evaluated NATO's strategic purpose, nature, and past Cold War responsibilities. Initially postured in Western Europe as collective defense against eastern aggression, NATO must once again review its longterm strategy. With no Cold War adversary and with the explosion of globalization, NATO has expanded its missions to meet global challenges; it now includes 26 member nations and is still growing. The alliance has restructured and accepted the challenge of transforming to meet future challenges. This research paper analyzes NATO's relevance in the 21st century security environment. It discusses the implications of recent NATO enlargement, reviews recent NATO transformation, and assesses the value of current NATO missions in Iraq, Darfur, Sudan, and Afghanistan.