One of the critical pieces to NATO's transformation since the end of the Cold War has been enlarging the alliance to Europe's East. The last two rounds of NATO enlargement welcomed the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland in 1999; and Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia, and Slovakia in 2004. At this year's NATO Summit in Bucharest, membership invitations may be extended to Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia.
Proponents of enlargement argued then and continue to assert that international organizations, integration, and cooperation enhance security and stability within new democracies. They agree that NATO membership
helps strengthen emerging postcommunist democracies and provides aspirant countries and new members with added incentive to reform their military and security sectors, and to defuse border disputes and potential conflicts. The argument continues that as NATO takes on new missions beyond Europe, many postcommunist countries have demonstrated their commitment and capacity to fight terrorism, manage potential and actual crises, and engage in peacekeeping operations on a global scale.
While proponents believe that NATO enlargement is a clear win-win situation for the alliance and its newest members, the idea has its detractors. Skeptics have long argued that along with further aggravating the already difficult NATO-Russia relationship, neither the beneficial effects of NATO membership for emerging democracies nor the contribution of new members to regional and global security are consistent and obvious. Today, skeptics are divided between those who question whether Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia have met NATO's standards for membership and if their invitations could be its last to aspirant countries; and those who maintain that the alliance is already big enough without further complicating its missions, its reach, and diluting its decision-making capabilities. As enlargement skeptics gain ground, is the historical door to NATO closing?
What political factors were decisive for previous rounds of NATO enlargement, and which of those factors remain?
Can the positive momentum from previous rounds of NATO enlargement be maintained? If not, can it be recreated?
What effect should inviting Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia to join NATO have on future rounds of NATO enlargement?