International alliance refers to the formation of relationships among a collection of states to pursue common goals. These may be based on mutual defense, a desire to solve global problems or to learn from each other culturally. These relationships can be formalized with treaties or informal pacts.
These alliances can involve a significant relinquishment of sovereignty. They can also carry a heavy cost or burden that some member states are not willing to bear. In addition, the influence of individual members varies considerably – some are more powerful than others. These challenges can create internal tensions in alliances and lead to dissatisfaction with them.
Historically, nations formed alliances to protect themselves against common threats. The classic example was the formation of NATO after World War II to deter a resurgent Russia from threatening Western Europe. The organization expanded in the following decades to address new forms of instability outside member countries’ borders.
The emergence of an international order that has been dubbed as ‘the strategic alliance world order’ requires a shift away from unilateralism and toward forming alliances to advance common interests. It is imperative that policy makers and key strategists are cognizant of the dynamic nature of these alliances in order to anticipate and respond accordingly.
The enlargement of NATO to include former Soviet satellites and their successor states was a major challenge for the organization. Many members worried that these additions would lead to a dangerous arms race. But in the end, NATO officials agreed to invite Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to join NATO. They also agreed to set a goal of 2% of member countries’ GDP for defence spending.