NATO is the most successful political and military alliance in recent history. It remains the single most important contributor to security, stability and peace in Europe and North America. It is vital to the 1 billion Europeans and North Americans who benefit from the political and military framework it provides every day, including over 100 million East Europeans who live in freedom since the fall of the Iron Curtain. The Alliance's inner strength derives from a unity of purpose founded on shared values of democracy, individual liberty, human rights and international law. The muscle behind those values is credible deterrence and collective defence and, importantly, a solemn commitment to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty: an attack against one member is to be considered an attack against all. The Alliance's political decision-making relies on an inclusive process of security and defence consultations, continuous engagement with all members and ultimately the principle of consensus: a democratic norm that gives the Alliance political legitimacy and military credibility. While NATO is designed for US leadership, all constituent members have a voice in shaping NATO decisions. More than seven decades of peace represent a monumental accomplishment; the ability to find strategic cohesion among the members, from the original 12 to the current 29, is extraordinary.
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