Is NATO seeking a new kind of legitimacy?

The US has already taken unilateral measures against Iran. With the added bonus of an EU and Alliance endorsement, it can only go further. Second, the recurrent issue of Israel's admittance into NATO (Israel has agreements with NATO, but is not a member), could be settled quickly in favour of, should Iran's threat expand beyond mere rhetoric. And most importantly, NATO has cast its eyes on the Middle East for a while now, and is looking to expand its role in the region. The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) launched in 2004 is one way to do that.

Gulf Cooperation Council

The timing of NATO's emergence on the scene, has much to do with Iran's recent charm offensive in the Gulf. Early December, at a summit meeting in Doha of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Ahmadinejad actively tried to win over the Arab Gulf states. He did this by referring to their “common book, the Qu'ran” as well as by threatening dire consequences for the region's stability and welfare in the event of an armed escalation between his country and the US.

Furthermore he applied for membership of the regional freetrade zone, in return for visa-free travel from the region into Iran. Whether Ahmadinejad's appeal actually managed to gain some currency among the GCC members, remains doubtful. Iran's economy being in the shape it is, compounded by its problematic demographic situation, the country has little to counterbalance the bennies of the Gulf's traditional allies in the west. The European Union has had formalised working relations with the Council since 1988 already, and in 2004, NATO joined in. Europe and the Gulf region are thus linked economically, culturally, and now also militarily and security-wise. The pro's and con's of substituting Iran for Europe and NATO are easily weighed.

By stepping onto the scene at this precise moment, NATO reminds its partners that it will honour its commitments, both within the Alliance and in relation to the working agreements it has signed with third parties.

Furthermore, its appearance brings a certain spice to the table. Even if the ladies and gentlemen at NATO's Ministerial meeting don't dress in full battle-gear, a whiff of “Talking General” now pervades the atmosphere. The overall picture of the standoff colours a little more threatening and with that, perhaps, the appeal of a decent settlement becomes a little more compelling.