RTÉ Brainstorm: 70 years on, is NATO past its sell-by date?

A new RTÉ Brainstorm article by Whitaker Institute member Prof Ray Murphy, looks at the functionality of NATO 70 years after its inception.

70 years on, is NATO past its sell-by date?

Opinion: NATO has moved far from a core mission “to keep the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down.”

Former NATO Secretary General Lord Ismay is once famously reputed to have said that NATO’s core mission was “to keep the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down.” A range of external and internal events have created a perfect storm that poses an existential crisis for NATO’s future.

Founded in 1949 as a mutual defence organisation to counter Soviet expansionism in Europe, NATO today faces a multiple range of threats. Ironically, its biggest challenge is posed by its most powerful member, the United States. Lack of American leadership under an antagonistic and unpredictable President Trump have proved a blessing for NATO’s enemies, especially Russia. Trump has criticised what he sees as lack of commitment by NATO allies, tweeting in June 2018 that “the US pays close to the entire cost of NATO-protecting many of these same countries that rip us off on Trade (they pay only a fraction of the cost-and laugh!).” Continue reading…