The Evolution and Failure of NATO’s Nuclear Posture

As a military alliance with nuclear capabilities, NATO’s nuclear posture has gone through a very interesting evolutionary period, shaped by the security environment during its existence. Not only has the Alliance shifted its focus in terms of conventional/nuclear forces ratio following the end of the Cold War, it has gradually changed its vision of nuclear weapons and their role in the world. Alliance remains a nuclear power, at least until the global elimination of all nuclear weapons. However, that goal remains a distant one. Will the Alliance adopt a proactive strategy when it comes to nuclear weapons? Will it modernize its nuclear posture? This article attempts to tackle these questions, while also providing an outline of the stages of the evolution of NATO’s nuclear posture. At the same time, it is argued that Alliance’s nuclear posture is currently failing, and urgently requires reforms and a new vision.

Authors: Kamal Makili-Aliyev
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