Tactical Nuclear Weapons and NATO.pdf - Program on Strategic ...

with <strong>NATO</strong> (for example, Moscow’s agreement in
2010 to exp<strong>and</strong> use of the Northern Distribution Network
for the transit of nonlethal <strong>NATO</strong> supplies to
ISAF), some Allies tend to play down Russian leaders’
criticism of <strong>NATO</strong> missile defense, attributing it
to posturing for internal political reasons.
Differing Allied threat assessments extend beyond
Afghanistan, Libya, <strong>and</strong> Russia. As the Group of Experts
on <strong>NATO</strong>’s New Strategic Concept noted in their
May 2010 report,
The global nuclear nonproliferation regime is under
increasing stress; incidents of instability along Europe’s
periphery have revived historic tensions; innovative
modes of gathering, sending, <strong>and</strong> storing
information have brought with them new vulnerabilities;
the security implications of piracy, energy
supply risks, <strong>and</strong> environmental neglect have become
more evident; <strong>and</strong> a worldwide economic crisis has
spawned widespread budgetary concerns. 4
Potential instability in the Western Balkans remains
a leading worry for neighboring Allies. The
United States <strong>and</strong> some Allies arguably are more
worried than others about Iran’s suspected nuclear
weapons programs <strong>and</strong> ballistic missile capabilities
or the possible spillover of Syria’s internal unrest into
Turkey. Still others give relatively high priority to resource,
environmental, <strong>and</strong> maritime security issues
in the Arctic region.
RESURGENT “BURDEN-SHARING” DEBATE
Contentious discussions among the Allies over
how to share equitably the risks <strong>and</strong> burdens of Alliance
membership are nothing new. However, such
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