--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: NATO is still the most remarkable…" description: "\"NATO is still the most remarkable alliance in history. It stuck together through 40 years of Cold War, and it then joined together to fight in Afghanis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/paul-wolfowitz-9082_afghanistan_nato-is-still-the-most-remarkable-allian_1610377.jpg" --- # NATO is still the most remarkable alliance in history. It… ![“NATO is still the most remarkable alliance in history. It stuck together through 40 years of Cold War, and it then joined together to fight in Afghanistan. In the 1980s, I would not have thought this was going to be possible.” quote by Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/paul-wolfowitz-9082_afghanistan_nato-is-still-the-most-remarkable-allian_1610377.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/paul-wolfowitz-9082_afghanistan_nato-is-still-the-most-remarkable-allian_1610377.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/paul-wolfowitz-9082_afghanistan_nato-is-still-the-most-remarkable-allian_1610377.jpg) > “NATO is still the most remarkable alliance in history. It stuck together through 40 years of Cold War, and it then joined together to fight in Afghanistan. In the 1980s, I would not have thought this was going to be possible.” [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. NATO's durability stems from shared purpose, surviving Cold War and later conflicts like Afghanistan. **In simple terms:** NATO stays strong by uniting over common goals. Key Takeaway Support and strengthen alliances. Themes cooperation history security Mood proud optimistic Type political historical When to use this quote - policy making - defense planning - global diplomacy Key Concepts political science international relations Questions to Reflect On - What keeps alliances resilient? - How can they adapt to new threats? A Different Perspective Alliance cohesion can be tested by divergent member interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Alliances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alliances/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Cold war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-war/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [No alliance in history has done more to prevent war, and no alliance is more rooted in the values America champions, than NATO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/no-alliance-in-history-has-done-more-to-prevent-war-and-no-alliance/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] attitude towards our longest defense alliance and NATO, that we should somehow walk away from it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/donald-trump-attitude-towards-our-longest-defense-alliance-and-nato/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Is such an alliance helpful to us in this day and age? Are we creating a cold war in order to justify NATO?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/is-such-an-alliance-helpful-to-us-in-this-day-and-age-are-we-creating/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ I don't understand what the president's \[Donald Trump\] position is on Russia. But I can tell you what my position is on Russia: Russia… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/i-don-t-understand-what-the-president-s-donald-trump-position-is-on/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [NATO remains a military alliance, and we are against having a military alliance making itself at home right in our own backyard; in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/nato-remains-a-military-alliance-and-we-are-against-having-a-military/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Failure in Afghanistan would have profound consequences for our national security. It would undermine the NATO alliance structure that has been the bedrock of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ainsworth/failure-in-afghanistan-would-have-profound-consequences-for-our/) [Bob Ainsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ainsworth/) > [The programme of the British Labour Party under Neil Kinnock is so wildly irresponsible, so separate and apart from the historic NATO strategy, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-perle/the-programme-of-the-british-labour-party-under-neil-kinnock-is-so/) [Richard Perle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-perle/) > [NATO is an alliance, so all parts of the alliance have to be capable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/nato-is-an-alliance-so-all-parts-of-the-alliance-have-to-be-capable/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [In 2003, at the time I made my "Old Europe" comment, the center of gravity in NATO and Europe had long since shifted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/in-2003-at-the-time-i-made-my-old-europe-comment-the-center-of/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [If Estonia or any member-state was invaded and Article V was not invoked, NATO will fall apart. If it fails once, the alliance will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/if-estonia-or-any-member-state-was-invaded-and-article-v-was-not/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [To his lasting credit, President Reagan never wavered. He recognized the strategic importance of staying the course, both in terms of denying Moscow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/to-his-lasting-credit-president-reagan-never-wavered-he-recognized/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [Our alliance with our NATO partners has been a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy for nearly 70 years, in good times and in bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-alliance-with-our-nato-partners-has-been-a-cornerstone-of-u-s/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The alliance should agree... to an effective NATO role against the new threats presented by international terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-maria-aznar/the-alliance-should-agree-to-an-effective-nato-role-against-the-new/) [Jose Maria Aznar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-maria-aznar/) > [The new century demands new partnerships for peace and security. The United Nations plays a crucial role, with allies sharing burdens America might otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-new-century-demands-new-partnerships-for-peace-and-security-the/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [You know, NATO as a military alliance has something called Article 5, and basically it says this: An attack on one is an attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/you-know-nato-as-a-military-alliance-has-something-called-article-5/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) ## More by Paul Wolfowitz > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [It is kind of nice to have a common purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/it-is-kind-of-nice-to-have-a-common-purpose/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [I certainly don't like a label that suggests I believe that the military is the solution to most of the world's problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/i-certainly-don-t-like-a-label-that-suggests-i-believe-that-the/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [People change their habits. I know Americans who don't go to Paris because they think it is too dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/people-change-their-habits-i-know-americans-who-don-t-go-to-paris/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [I think all foreigners should stop interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq. Those who want to come and help are welcome. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/i-think-all-foreigners-should-stop-interfering-in-the-internal/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [For the private sector to flourish, special privilege must give way to equal opportunity and equal risk for all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/for-the-private-sector-to-flourish-special-privilege-must-give-way-to/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Islamic State is mainly a direct result of the failure in Syria. That's where IS has grown. That's where IS spread from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/islamic-state-is-mainly-a-direct-result-of-the-failure-in-syria-that/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [I think one has to say it's not just simply a matter of capturing people and holding them accountable, but removing the sanctuaries, removing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/i-think-one-has-to-say-it-s-not-just-simply-a-matter-of-capturing/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [I told my father I had to try political science for a year. He thought I was throwing my life away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/i-told-my-father-i-had-to-try-political-science-for-a-year-he-thought/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [It's wonderful that so many people want to contribute to fighting aids or malaria. But, if somebody isn't paying attention to the overall health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/it-s-wonderful-that-so-many-people-want-to-contribute-to-fighting/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Jobs are a priority for every country. Doing more to improve regulation and help entrepreneurs is the key to creating jobs - and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/jobs-are-a-priority-for-every-country-doing-more-to-improve/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [I certainly think it's important to speak up and say how unacceptable Donald Trump is. I'm always more than willing to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/i-certainly-think-it-s-important-to-speak-up-and-say-how-unacceptable/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Support for peaceful reform by the people themselves is the right way to promote democracy, not the use of force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/support-for-peaceful-reform-by-the-people-themselves-is-the-right-way/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Someone once said that history has more imagination than all the scenario writers in the Pentagon, and we have a lot of scenario writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/someone-once-said-that-history-has-more-imagination-than-all-the/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Iraq has no history of ethnic conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/iraq-has-no-history-of-ethnic-conflict/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) [Explore all 75 Paul Wolfowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) ## More Afghanistan quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [“I stood with my mom in the cemetery. She felt terrible pain. My grandmother is with God. My mom has to continue living. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I have been to Afghanistan many times, even before the Taliban collapsed. I was fascinated by the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/i-have-been-to-afghanistan-many-times-even-before-the-taliban/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [There has been sort of, if you will, a moral interventionism on the part of the United States trying to reshape countries in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/there-has-been-sort-of-if-you-will-a-moral-interventionism-on-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The legal system in Afghanistan is very immature and porous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-legal-system-in-afghanistan-is-very-immature-and-porous/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) [Browse all 1,159 Afghanistan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "NATO is still the most remarkable alliance in history. 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