Reimagine the Washington Treaty

A transatlantic alliance became a reality in 1949 only when the promise of the end of war was overshadowed by the threat of communism. The North Atlantic Treaty, also known as the Washington Treaty, was an effective answer to an inflection point in the history of the international order,1 founding an alliance that succeeded in safeguarding the free world.

More than seventy years later, the global system sits at another inflection point.2 Increasing challenges from authoritarian regimes, namely Russia and China, combined with democratic erosion, abandonment of norms, and a dramatically changed geopolitical and technological landscape demand a reexamination of the only alliance capable of organizing free nations’ defense and guaranteeing their prosperity.

What would the Washington Treaty look like if it were written today? How should NATO meet today’s new and more complex geopolitical challenges while maintaining the elegant simplicity and flexibility of its founding treaty?

Key Takeaways:

0:00 Intro

1:40 Will and Damon explain what the Washington Treaty is, what they meant when they used the word reimagine in their recommendation Reimagine the Washington Treaty

5:15 Damon explains why the reimagined NATO would position the Alliance as the backbone of the free world and not the original Washington treaty

7:17 Will and Damon talk about how allies will be able to recommit to meeting democratic values and principles to free people when they face the same problem themselves

9:10 Damon talks about whether Turkey was adhering to democratic principles when the coup happened and why NATO didn’t deal with it and it’s one of their recommendation

11:07 Damon also explains how their recommendation is different from that of NATO and yet no word is spoken when some allies take part in anti-democratic practices

13:22 Damon also explains how their recommendation is going to help NATO be able to hold its members to account to be able to face of the challenge of authoritarian and autocracies

15:22 Will and Damon explains what the standalone article would look like in ensuring NATO can compete in an era of geo-economics by protecting allies’ economic security in the midst of rapid technological change and great power competition

19:54 Will and Damon explain how their recommendation would help change some of the EU governments strategic thinking so as to stop signing some deals with China to make them understand that this can also pose a geostrategic risk in the long term

24:24 Damon explains how to use NATO to help bring disparate actors on board while thinking about some of the big global challenges and develop common strategies and approaches

28:05 Will talks about having other small pieces linked to NATO’s network handling some of the global issues more specifically in order to create global stability and prosperity

31:23 Damon also shares his thoughts on having other parties within the network of the Alliance dealing with some of the global issues since NATO has a lot on its plate

33:31 Will shares his thoughts if NATO needs a new treaty or if it needs to talk about the old treaty more and talk about how it can be enlivened

34:45 Damon also shares his thoughts on what NATO should do, if it should have a new treaty or revise the old one

37:53 Damon explains if their recommendation is something that the Alliance would be willing to do to Reimagine the Washington Treaty

Shows Mentioned: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/content-series/nato20-2020/reimagine-the-washington-treaty/

www.atlanticcouncil.org

The North Atlantic Council is the principal political decision-making body of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, consisting of Permanent Representatives from its member countries.

The Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium is a 750-seat historic neoclassical auditorium located at 1301 Constitution Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. The auditorium, which connects two wings of the William Jefferson Clinton Federal Building, is owned by the U.S. government but available for use by the public.

The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.

Quotes Mentioned: “NATO’s adaptability is one of its strengths.” “In 1949, the Alliance emerged in part out of fear that European democracies couldn't survive in the face of communism and Soviet expansionism.” “Over most of the 70 years since the signing of the original Washington treaty, democratic free societies have made their point by proving that they can bring prosperity and economic opportunity.” “We realize that we can't be dependent on China for certain supplies.” “We need a more coherent approach as allies to this geo-economic competition.” “When the NAC talks about an issue, it shouldn't mean that the NATO bureaucracy goes into action.”

Guests Social Media Links: Damon Wilson: Website: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/damon-wilson/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/damonmacwilson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damon-wilson-b272682b/

Will O’Brien: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wmtobrien/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmthobrien?lang=en