U.S. Military Power and Alliance Relations

In view of the collapse of Communist governments in much of Eastern Europe and related developments since 1989, forward-deployed U.S. forces will probably be reduced substantially in the coming decade. Other components of U.S. military power will, however, remain significant in alliance relations: general-purpose conventional forces, nuclear deterrence forces, global surveillance and communications capabilities, and military research and development. Burden sharing and decision making will become more challenging alliance problems in an increasingly multipolar and fluid international context. Five factors deserve particular attention, especially with regard to the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization: the conduct and aftermath of the Persian Gulf war; German political and security choices; West European political and economic integration; the internal evolution of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe; and intra-Western political differences. During a time of unpredictable flux in international politics, the most prudent course for the United States is to retain the alliance ties established and maintained at great cost in the past and to adapt them to new requirements.