Risking NATO : testing the limits of the alliance in Afghanistan / Andrew R. Hoehn, Sarah Harting.

"RAND Project Air Force."

"The research was conducted within the Strategy and Doctrine Program of RAND Project Air Force"--Pref.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 77-91)

Also issued online.

Introduction -- The NATO That Once Was -- Redefining NATO's Role: 9/11 to Afghanistan -- A Greater Role for NATO in Afghanistan -- Risking NATO in Afghanistan -- What Might Be Next for NATO?

NATO's success in Afghanistan--or lack thereof--will have significant implications for the alliance itself. Success could promote the image of a capable global security alliance. Failure, or even an indeterminate outcome, would cloud the alliance's own future. The authors examine the risks, commitments, and obligations of the current mission in light of NATO's history and with an eye toward the future, as well as the effects on the alliance's internal dynamics. Drawing on a wide range of sources, the authors describe how NATO came to be involved, concerns and tensions that have developed over the investments and risks that member and nonmember states have in the operation, management of the expectations of nations and peoples, and the need for a coherent, comprehensive, and coordinated long-term strategy.

Also available in electronic form via the RAND Corporation Web site.