The very qualities that make NATO work are at risk. NATO works only because it is both military and political in nature. Dilute NATO’s political coherence, and the result will be a one-dimensional traditional military alliance that cannot operate effectively. NATO needs to take steps to ensure that old, new, and prospective members live up to its political standards, thereby securing the organization’s coherence and relevance. NATO members must agree to amend the North Atlantic Treaty to allow for sanction, suspension, or even expulsion of backsliding members. The objective of such a revision would be to sharpen members’ incentive to perform and live up to political standards so that the alliance can continue to work.
