2 weeks Ago
The emergence of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the aftermath of World War II helped elevate the United States into a position of military supremacy and economic might. Marshalling the forces of Europe against the Soviet Union facilitated the fall of communism, and closer ties with the continent fueled the nation’s wealth in the post-war era. These are achievements worth celebrating, and this weekend’s NATO Festival in Norfolk is a fine way to do so.
This is an alliance worth preserving, a fact that the Trump administration and its allies in Congress should honor. Hampton Roads is justifiably proud of its rich military tradition. Home to some of the most important Department of Defense installations, the region boasts a military population of about 300,000, a number that includes active-duty service members, reserve personnel, retirees and family members.
As a center for national defense, Hampton Roads was a natural choice to locate one of the first commands following ratification of the NATO Treaty. The Norfolk facility opened in 1952 and allowed for multinational cooperation to secure shipping lanes between Europe and North America. But membership in NATO ensured more than safe crossing of the Atlantic.
Article 5 of the treaty, its most consequential section, pledged that member nations would defend each other in times of war. An attack against one would be considered an attack against all. That was crucial in containing the spread of Soviet influence in eastern Europe following the victory over Nazi Germany and the fascist powers.
But Article 5 has only been invoked one time in NATO’s history: after the 2001 terrorist attacks when U.S. allies rushed to our aid, helped patrol our skies and participated in the invasion of Afghanistan.
NATO has grown over the years from the 12 founding members to a broad coalition of 32 countries, all of whom have a vested interest in protecting the peace and ensuring the continued cooperation that NATO has fostered. But these are turbulent days for the alliance. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 represents the largest armed conflict in Europe since 1945.
Members have responded with robust support for that embattled country, with a goal of containing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s imperial aspirations. President Donald Trump, however, has other ideas. He has falsely blamed Ukraine and NATO for the war, lambasted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an Oval Office meeting and seeks to shape U.
S. policy to favor the Russians. He had called out NATO members for not spending enough on defense, a requirement of alliance membership, and has taken an aggressive diplomatic and economic stance against Canada and Denmark, two member nations.
Hampton Roads, with its long history of being home to NATO operations in North America, needs no explanation as to why such an approach is both wrong-headed and reckless. We know, better than most, how valuable the alliance is to American interests and how the vitality of the organization helps keep the nation safe. Sign up for Viewpoints, an opinion newsletter This weekend is a chance for residents to show, not repudiation of Trump’s mistaken approach to NATO, but our support for the continued health of the alliance.
Saturday’s Parade of Nations in downtown Norfolk is an international celebration of NATO member nations, as is the International Village that follows it at Town Point Park. The Virginia International Tattoo, happening all weekend at Scope, will commemorate the pending 250th birthday of the U.S.
Army, Navy and Marine Corps with an array of talented performances. The parade and international village are free to attend; the tattoo is ticketed. Learn more at the Virginia Arts Festival website, vafest.
org . The NATO alliance has grown, strengthened and endured for 76 years, and that is to the benefit of our nation and our region. The annual festival is a chance for us to show our appreciation for the international personnel who call our region home and their home nations, who have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with America when it mattered most.
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