The Deterrence Illusion | Stanley Kober | Cato Institute: Commentary

The Deterrence Illusion | Stanley Kober | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Much is made, for example, of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) invoking Article V — the famous 'three musketeers' pledge that an attack on one member is to be considered as an attack on all — following the terrorist attacks of September 11.

But the United States is the most powerful member of NATO by far. Indeed, in 2001, it was widely considered to be a hegemon, a hyperpower. Other countries wanted to be in NATO because they felt an American guarantee would provide security.

And yet it was the US that was attacked.

This failure of deterrence has not received the attention it deserves. It is, after all, not unique. The North Vietnamese were not deterred by the American guarantee to South Vietnam. Similarly, Hezbollah was not deterred in Lebanon in the 1980s, and American forces were assaulted in Somalia. What has been going wrong?"