Today looking back to 1949 when the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established numerous changes took place: the collapse of the USSR, the end of Cold War, emergency of new countries in the Balkans, international terrorism, new conflicts and etc. In one word: new challenges, new priorities and new threats.

The proliferation of ballistic missiles poses an increasing threat to Allied populations, territory and deployed forces. This is the reason why the Netherlands decided to contribute to NATO’s Missile Defence system.

The military-political interplay in Afghanistan is taking an alarming new tilt for Washington. The possibility of a more precipitous exit is rising.

Atlantic-community.org: We are excited to announce our newest policy workshop! We want you to tell us your ideas for promoting NATO values, building partnerships, and engaging members in the Smart Defense initiative. Winners receive a cash prize and a trip to Berlin to present their ideas to policymakers!

Sixty years ago, on 18 February 1952, Greece and Turkey became members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This was the first round of enlargement for the Alliance, only three years after its creation.

When we call for greater security, the soldiers tell us they are here for rebuilding. When we call for rebuilding, they state they are here for the security. In the end, they guarantee neither.

The Munich Security Conference took place last week. International security leaders met at Munich’s Bayerische Hof hotel in order to discuss current and forthcoming international security issues. The conference organised a series of panels that fostered debate and fruitful discussion among senior experts around the world. The discussions were as follows: