With their resources drying up like a pond in the hot sun, can NATO do what is necessary to ensure the Alliance’s continued relevance in a world that appears increasingly unstable? For Die Zeit, columnist Claudia Major writes that to survive as an institution, NATO members must achieve a far higher degree of integration and trust, and the sacrifice of a greater measure of national sovereignty, which even in Europe, is something that few if any have been willing to embrace.
For Die Zeit, Claudia Major writes in part:
up to now, when confronted with the diminished sovereignty greater security cooperation would require, NATO member states have balked. They fear a loss of control over where and how their militaries will be deployed. They also find it difficult to agree on common weapons systems, because each country has its own arms industry. They also fear that a clearer division of labor could lead to problems in time of emergency, because they may not be able to rely on their NATO partners. For how can it be ensured that an operation will be carried out if a partner nation doesn’t want to participate, even if its military capacities, for example aircraft, are needed? How can we guarantee that a country will not be left out in the cold during an operation when another suddenly withdraws its troops? How can it we ensure that a member state isn’t slacking off at the expense of the rest?
Although there are legitimate concerns [about further integration], member states have no choice if they want to halt the decay of their military alliance. If the Alliance is to continue to be relevant, its members must adjust to the new reality: If its military striking power declines, the alliance cannot afford to do very much. In other words, if it is to live up to even a diminished level of ambition, greater collaboration is essential.
The larger European “dwarves” have a particular responsibility: Germany, France and Great Britain must toughen their partners in Europe and lead the way by example.
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