An international alliance is a formal arrangement of countries that agree to work together. This includes pacts for military, political, economic, environmental and cultural cooperation. International alliances have evolved since World War I, and today they often focus on addressing global challenges that are not necessarily military threats, such as climate change and terrorism.
For example, NATO has evolved from a bulwark against the Soviet Union to an organization that works with partners far from the Allied homelands. The September 11, 2001 attacks also changed the nature of the alliance, highlighting the need to address threats from multiple fronts. NATO’s response to the events of 9/11 was a major factor in the first and only time the organization invoked Article 5.
Today’s alliances are more flexible than their counterparts during World War II. They are often focused on a broad range of issues, including regional security, economic cooperation and political integration. This is a result of the evolving nature of international threats, as well as a more interconnected world where cooperation among alliance members is easier than ever.
However, this broader framework of cooperation also increases the potential for conflict between the United States and China over global leadership. The GMF Geostrategy team has developed a framework for analyzing this competition and the role of swing states in shaping it. The framework assesses a country’s preferences for cooperating with the United States, Europe, China and Russia – and, when appropriate, other states – in four aspects of international affairs: security, energy, economics and trade, and foreign policy.