| NATO in Afghanistan: A Test for the Atlantic Alliance
Morelli, Vincent; Belkin, Paul
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report to Congress, January 23, 2009, 34p
"The mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Afghanistan is a test of the alliance’s political will and military capabilities. Since the Washington Summit in 1999, the allies have sought to create a “new” NATO, capable of operating beyond the European theater to combat emerging threats such as terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Afghanistan is NATO’s first “out-of-area” mission beyond Europe. The purpose of the mission is the stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan. The mission has proven difficult because it must take place while combat operations against Taliban insurgents continue. Recent assessments of the situation in Afghanistan point to a rise in the overall level of violence due to increased Taliban military operations and an increase in terrorist-related activities."
Vincent Morelli is Section Research Manager for CRS,Paul Belkin is an Analyst in European Affairs for CRS.
Go to the report at:
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33627.pdf
F17/01-09, March 5, 2009
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