The Nato Alliance And the INF Treaty

Abstract

The INF Treaty of December 1987 has focused renewed attention on the central military and political issues that lie at the heart of NATO. Defenders of the treaty claim that the first ever theater nuclear force agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union is clearly in the Alliance's interest. On the other hand, critics of the treaty perceive fundamental weaknesses arising from the arms elimination pact-weaknesses that may interfere with NATO's objectives. Common points of disagreement include the effects on the Alliance deterrence posture, the state of political cohesion within NATO, the possibility of further nuclear weapons reductions, the strength of the European conventional force balance, and the role of the United States as ultimate guarantor of European NATO's security. An examination of these arguments suggests that, on balance, the assertions made by the proponents of the treaty are marginally more persuasive. Furthermore, the treaty process offers the collective political leadership of the Alliance some valuable insights on how to manage the tensions that attend any extended deterrent relationship.