NATO launched its first-ever attack on a sovereign state two decades ago, paving the way for uncontested 21st century U.S. military action in the Middle East.
The United States has waged global military interventions and conflicts, marked this month by difficult anniversaries that experts said have displayed the true financial and human costs of war — with little foreign policy gain.
This toll included not only the military action against Afghanistan, where the Taliban-led government harbored the Al-Qaeda group responsible for 9/11, but also drone strikes in neighboring Pakistan and the toll accumulated since going to war with Iraq, which was accused of developing weapons of mass destruction and of also supporting Al-Qaeda — two charges that later proved false.
In the past two decades, military action abroad has usually been conducted on the pretext of humanitarian intervention against iron-fisted dictators, or to eliminate designated national security threats. "In Syria, U.S. policy backfired in a different way," Kuperman said."President Obama encouraged the militarization of Syria's uprising by calling on President Assad to step down while NATO was militarily intervening to help rebels in Libya. This sent a signal that the USA would intervene militarily in Syria if the protesters took up arms, which they soon did.
A chart details the financial and human cost of the"War on Terror" since the deadly events of September 11, 2001. The toll of deaths—not including other conflicts in countries such as Libya, Somalia and Syria—may be much higher and is also compounded by hundreds of thousands killed by the side effects of such conflicts.
Iran has also benefitted. Tehran gained an ally in the Shiite Muslim-dominated government that replaced longtime foe Hussein in Baghdad, and expanding ties with Damascus.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump says strongly considering NATO membership for BrazilU.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was strongly considering NATO membership for Brazil as he welcomed Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to the White House. 'We're going to look at that very very strongly in terms of - whether it's NATO or it's something having to do with
Read more »
Trump floats idea of Brazil becoming a NATO memberUS President Donald Trump hints at the possibility of Brazil joining the military alliance between American and European countries as he hosted the far-right President Jair Bolsonaro for security talks at the White House.
Read more »
NATO members’ promise of spending 2% of their GDP on defence is proving hard to keepGermany is in the crosshairs for not spending enough on defence
Read more »
What NATO needs to do to live to its 100th birthdayIn many respects the alliance looks stronger than ever. Yet NATO is also deeply troubled
Read more »
French minister expresses concern about long-term U.S. commitment to NATOFrench Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said on Monday that Europe was conce...
Read more »
NATO, EU condemn Russia's 2014 seizure of Crimea
Read more »
Analysis | Trump misunderstands NATO so badly, he thinks Brazil could be part of it“I also intend to designate Brazil as a major non-NATO ally, or even possibly — if you start thinking about it — maybe a NATO ally,' Trump said.
Read more »
What NATO is doing to keep abreast of new challengesTechnology is opening up whole new dimensions for warfare
Read more »
Serbia, Kosovo mark start of NATO intervention 20 years ago
Read more »
NATO Plans Facility in Poland to Store U.S. Military EquipmentNATO will plow funds into stationing U.S. military equipment in Poland, lending allied heft to Washington’s strategy for quickly reinforcing Europe with troops in case of a Russian incursion.
Read more »