Is NATO enlargement a good thing? Should Ukraine’s expressed wish to join NATO be respected? Or, is enlargement an unnecessary provocation against Russia? Did U.S. officials mislead the Soviets regarding the eastward expansion of the alliance? Is Russia justified in claiming that enlargement threatens its vital security interests? Does NATO’s “security community” create a “security dilemma” for Putin?
If you believe that NATO enlargement serves peace and security, explain why in the Enlarge NATO thread, supporting your argument with source-cited facts. If you believe that the enlargement threatens peace and security, explain why in the Contain NATO thread. In either case, post your essay no later than midnight on April 27, using source cited facts to support your argument.
Respond to the postings of a least two other students, one from each of the two threads, no later than midnight on April 29. What are the strengths and shortcomings of the other students’ arguments? How might their arguments be strengthened?