NATO’s Options and Dilemmas After the INF Treaty
The demise of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty poses a substantial challenge to the security and cohesion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The defense alliance once again faces the difficult task of balancing deterrence and arms control. The INF Treaty—a pillar of the post–Cold War European security architecture—was signed by the United States and the Soviet Union in 1987 to prohibit possessing, flight-testing, and producing ground-launched cruise (GLCM) and ballistic missiles (GLBM) with ranges of 500–5,500 kilometers (311–3,420 miles).
The demise of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty poses a substantial challenge to the security and cohesion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The defense alliance once again faces the difficult task of balancing deterrence and arms control. The INF Treaty—a pillar of the post–Cold War European security architecture—was signed by the United States and the Soviet Union in 1987 to prohibit possessing, flight-testing, and producing ground-launched cruise (GLCM) and ballistic missiles (GLBM) with ranges of 500–5,500 kilometers (311–3,420 miles).
