Friend or Foe?

After the last World War, the winners started dividing up the spoils of war and decided to form a protective pact with one another.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 29 North American and European countries. The organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on April 4, 1949.

NATO constitutes a system of collective defense whereby its independent member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party.

Since it’s founding, the admission of new member states has increased the alliance from the original 12 countries to 29. The most recent member state to be added to NATO is Montenegro on June 5, 2017.

NATO currently recognizes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia and Ukraine as aspiring members.

An additional 21 countries participate in NATO’s Partnership for Peace program, with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programs.

Ally comes from the Latin word alligare, meaning, “to bind to,” like nations who are allies in wartime — they will act together, and protect one another.

Ally is one united to another by treaty or league; — usually applied to sovereigns or states; a confederate or ally can be while enemy is someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else.

If you have an ally, you have someone who is on your side, like a more experienced teammate who is your ally in convincing the coach to give you more playing time.

Two of the defeated (Germany and Italy) became allies. Japan also became friends, but that is another story.

Today we line up with friends or foes. We call some nations adversaries, yet buy from them. There maybe philosophical or political or even spiritual differences, but you can’t get cheaper products than those manufactured in authoritarian countries.