
Most of us know of Article 5, but do we really understand it? War in Ukraine has mandated us to understand!!
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is an alliance of 30 European and North American countries, including the United States. Article 5 of its foundational document sets forth NATO’s purpose and obligations: ensuring peace and security through collective defense. But what does that mean?
We’re heard a lot of talk about it on media and discussions with family and friends. Everyone seems to know a little but not a lot about NATO’s obligations and duties or about what the USA can do. Katherine Ebright of the Brennan Center for Justice does an excellent job of clearly and concisely answering these questions:
- What are a NATO member’s collective defense obligations?
- If a NATO ally is attacked, would Article 5 authorize the president to send U.S. forces into conflict?
- What about the president’s inherent powers as commander in chief?
- What could Congress’s response to an invocation of Article 5 look like?
- Would waiting for Congress conflict with our obligations to aid our NATO allies?
- What would happen if the president sent the military abroad without securing congressional authorization?
- What does the recent invocation of Article 4 mean?
Click here to read the full article.