The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental coalition whose mission is the mutual defence of its member countries through political and military means. NATO doesn’t have its own troops but rather relies on the forces and equipment of its member nations. NATO’s headquarters is in Brussels.

Formed in the wake of the Second World War, NATO originally comprised only Western countries — that is, nations not aligned with the Soviet Union. It began as a political association but began militarizing during the Korean War (1950-53), which the Western powers interpreted as a sign of Communist expansion.

NATO’s mandate is laid out in the North Atlantic Treaty, which was signed on April 4, 1949, in Washington, D.C., (and is also known as the Washington Treaty). Its role has changed significantly since the end of the Cold War.

What is its mandate?

NATO is committed to “the peaceful resolution of disputes,” but it has the military capacity to engage in “crisis management” under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty and/or United Nations approval. Article 5 essentially states that an attack on one NATO member constitutes an attack on all members.

How has its mandate evolved?

For much of its existence, NATO has functioned largely as a deterrent against Communist expansion. West Germany’s acceptance into NATO in 1955 spurred the Eastern Bloc to fashion its own coalition, known as the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance, or the Warsaw Pact. It included the U.S.S.R., Albania, Bulgaria, what was then Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania.

Read More at  FAQ: NATO – World – CBC News.