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Essay: NATO security policy and struggle against terrorism.

Throughout the years, mankind has faced a lot of problems, which in some way were
affecting the way of existence, and one o them is terrorism. Terrorism is a new problem appeared
in the contemporary world and which represent a real threat to the international peace and
security. Like main actors of terroristic actions, terrorists consists of groups of people, which
have their own goals and objectives. Terrorists resort to various ways to accomplish these goals
like planting crude home-made bombs, hand-grenades or other explosives in a shopping centre
or a crowded place like a railway-station or a bus stand or even a bus, train or aeroplane,
kidnapping or assassination. Different terrorist activities all over the world may have different
aims, but a few goals, common to all may be underlined. It may be because they want a regime
to react or they intend to mobilize a mass support through fear, to eliminate opponents or
enemies or to magnify their cause.
On this line, in order to avoid the terrorists attacks, states has created different organizations
to fight against this problem. For example we have a lot of regional organizations on the
european continent like NATO, OSCE and European Union, and international organizations, and
the best example here is United Nations. Like a very important international organization NATO
plays an important role in counter-terrorism. Terrorism poses a real and serious threat to the
security and safety of the Alliance and its members. It is a global threat that knows no border,
nationality or religion a challenge that the international community must tackle together.
NATOs work on counter-terrorism focuses on improved threat awareness and developing
adequate capabilities and enhancing engagement with partner countries and other international
actors. NATO conducts a number of operations that support the fight against terrorism. The
Alliance can also provide assistance in securing major public events and in managing the
consequences of attacks. Since the terrorist attacks on the United States of 11 September 2001,
NATO has been actively engaged in the fight against terrorism. In response to those attacks,
NATO invoked Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, the Alliances collective defence clause, for
the first time in its history. The multifaceted nature of terrorism is such that NATO has engaged
in a number of initiatives political, operational, conceptual, military, technological and
scientific to address this issue. The creation of the Emerging Security Challenges Division
within NATO Headquarters in August 2010 reflected NATOs intent to deal with a growing
range of non-traditional risks and challenges, including terrorism, in a cross-cutting manner.
Enhancement of the intelligence process at NATO Headquarters in the same year led to the
creation of the NATO Intelligence Liaison Unit, which has resulted in an improved flow of
terrorism analysis to the North Atlantic Council. NATO has since agreed on new policy
guidelines on counter-terrorism, which were endorsed at the Chicago Summit in May 2012.
The Alliance contributes to the international communitys fight against terrorism in several
ways. First, NATO is a permanent transatlantic consultation forum, capable of transforming
discussions into collective decisions and action. Second, NATO has at its disposal unique
military and civilian capabilities that can contribute to fighting terrorism or managing the
consequences of an attack. Third, NATO cooperates as part of a very large network of
partnerships involving other states and international organisations.
In conclusion, it is very important to mention that NATO like an alliance of 28 states,
which plays an important role and works together with the international community in order to
avoid terrorist attacks and to maintain peace and international security.