H. Res. 468
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
October 7, 2002.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Transatlantic Secu-
rity and NATO Enhancement Resolution of 2002’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The House of Representatives makes the following find-
ings:
(1) Since 1949 the North Atlantic Treaty Organiza-
tion (NATO) has played an essential role in guaran-
teeing the security, freedom, and prosperity of the
United States and its partners in the Alliance.
(2) NATO, founded on the principles of democracy,
individual liberty, and the rule of law, has proved to be
an indispensable instrument for forging a trans-Atlantic
community of nations working together to safeguard the
freedom and common heritage of its peoples and pro-
moting stability in the North Atlantic area.
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(3) NATO is the only institution that promotes a
uniquely transatlantic perspective and approach to issues
concerning the security of North America and Europe
and remains the only multilateral security organization
demonstrably capable of conducting effective military op-
erations and preserving security and stability of the
Euro-Atlantic region.
(4) The security, freedom, and prosperity of the
United States remain linked to the security of the coun-
tries of Europe.
(5) NATO remains the most visible and significant
embodiment of United States engagement in Europe and
therefore membership in NATO remains a vital national
security interest of the United States.
(6) NATO enhances the security of the United
States by providing an integrated military structure and
a framework for consultations on political and security
concerns of members which could impact the Alliance.
(7) The security of NATO member countries is in-
separably linked to that of the whole of Europe, and the
consolidation and strengthening of democratic and free
societies on the entire continent is of direct and material
importance to the NATO Alliance and its partners.
(8) The sustained commitment of the member coun-
tries of NATO to a mutual defense has been a major
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contributing factor in the democratic transformation of
Central and Eastern Europe.
(9) Members of the Alliance can and should play a
critical role in addressing the security challenges of the
post-Cold War era and in creating the stable environ-
ment needed for Central and Eastern Europe to success-
fully complete political and economic transformation.
(10) NATO should remain the core security organi-
zation of the evolving Euro-Atlantic architecture in
which all countries enjoy the same freedom, cooperation,
and security.
(11) NATO’s military force structure, defense plan-
ning, command structures, and force goals must be suffi-
cient for the collective self-defense of its members, and
should be capable of projecting power when the security
of a NATO member is threatened, and provide a basis
for ad hoc coalitions of willing partners among NATO
members to defend common values and interests.
(12) NATO must act to address new post-Cold War
risks emerging from outside the treaty area in the inter-
ests of preserving peace and security in the Euro-Atlan-
tic area, including—
(A) risks from rogue states and non-state ac-
tors possessing nuclear, biological, or chemical
weapons and their means of delivery;
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(B) transnational terrorism and disruption of
the flow of vital resources; and
(C) conflicts outside the treaty area stemming
from unresolved historical disputes and the actions
of undemocratic governments and sub-state actors
who reject the peaceful settlement of disputes.
(13) All NATO members should commit to improv-
ing their respective defense capabilities so that NATO
can project power decisively and sustain operations over
distance and time.
(14) The requirements to provide collective defense,
to project power, and to sustain operations dictate that
European NATO members possess military capabilities
to rapidly deploy forces over long distances, sustain op-
erations for extended periods of time, and operate jointly
with the United States in high-intensity conflicts.
(15) NATO’s Defense Capabilities Initiative, which
is intended to improve the defense capabilities of the Eu-
ropean Allies, particularly the deployability, mobility,
sustainability, and interoperability of Alliance forces,
must continue to be pursued by all members of the Alli-
ance in order to develop balanced capabilities.
(16) With a few exceptions, European members of
NATO have been deficient in maintaining required mili-
tary capabilities and providing defense spending at levels