LETTER TO THE EDITOR: We must support NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an organization that started out with 12 nations on April 4, 1949. The original nations were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom and United States. We now have a total of 32 nations. The other nations added: Greece and Turkey, 1952; Germany, 1955; Spain, 1982; Czechia, Hungary and Poland, 1999; Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, 2004; Albania and Croatia, 2009; Montenegro, 2017; North Macedonia, 2020; Finland, 2023; Sweden just recently and will be the 32nd nation.

The basic principle of NATO is 1. deterring Soviet expansion. 2. stop nationalist militarism. 3. encouraging political integration. There are a total of 14 articles in this treaty. Notable is Article 2, which allows leeway to engage in nonmilitary cooperation; Article 3, foundered for cooperation on military preparedness between Allies; Article 5, any armed attack against one or more members shall be considered an attack against them all. Each ally would take action as necessary, including use of armed forces.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first supreme allied commander Europe. The first civilian secretary general, Lord Ismay of the United Kingdom. A quote from Dwight D. Eisenhower: "We do not keep security establishments merely to defend property or territory or human rights abroad at sea. We keep the security forces to defend a way of life." The main headquarters for NATO is in Casteau Brussels, Belgium.

This organization, NATO, is fundamentally necessary for all democratic nations to defend themselves against any aggression against their freedoms of liberty and way of life. Other members of NATO look to the United States and other larger nations for leadership in the belief that this organization is what helps keep our countries in check from any type of aggression from any other nation.

In February 2025, the 45th president (who is now a convicted felon in the so-called hush money trial in New York state) made statements against NATO and our membership with the organization. Recently, as of June 11, 2024, it has been reported that 24 Republican senators signed a document for the United States to defund its membership to NATO.

We the American people and our U.S. Congress must always support not only NATO, but the United Nations, and any other organization that promotes peace, defending liberty, freedom and democracy. We the U.S. voter can use our patriotic duty and vote out any U.S. representative who does not defend our important membership in the principles of NATO.

In closing, NATO is important to all its members and also will be for any possible new members. Let us never, ever consider that our country would not be supporting this organization for what it stands for. Let no American group or persons in Congress consider not supporting the protections of NATO.

Thomas E. Carter

Rio Rancho