Between Pastiche and Sampling: NATO’s Strategic Adaptation to Russian Revisionism

Abstract

The essay assesses NATO’s reaction to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in 2014. Building on a synthesis of recent advances in strategic studies and works looking at institutional adaptation of security organisations, it presents an analytical framework for assessing strategic adaptation based on innovativeness, scope and cohesiveness. It takes inspiration from two techniques established in the visual arts and music, applying the concepts of pastiche and sampling to the analysis. The analysis concludes that, despite some problems and remaining challenges, NATO’s readjustment to Russian revisionism can be characterised as a moderately successful strategic sampling.

Notes

1 See Hoesterey (2001) or Dyer (2007) for comparison.

2 As in Cochran (1977), Fuller (2009), Deming (2010) and Lohr (2010), to name a few examples.

3 ‘Strategic Concept 2010’, 19 November 2010, available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/ic/natohq/topics_82705.htm, accessed 23 July 2018; ‘The Alliance’s New Strategic Concept’, 7–8 November 1991, available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/ua/natohq/official_texts_23847.htm, accessed 23 July 2018; ‘The Alliance’s Strategic Concept’, 24 April 1999, available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/on/natohq/official_texts_27433.htm, accessed 23 July 2018.

4 ‘Declaration on a Transformed North Atlantic Alliance’, 5–6 July 1990, available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_23693.htm, accessed 19 July 2018; ‘Prague Summit Declaration’, 21 November 2002, available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_19552.htm, accessed 23 July 2018.

5 ‘NATO Response Force/Very High Readiness Joint Task Force’, January 2016, available at: https://shape.nato.int/nato-response-force--very-high-readiness-joint-task-force, accessed 19 July 2018.

6 See Alexander and Prosen (2015) for the breadth of issues currently discussed in connection with the Alliance.

7 ‘Wales Summit Declaration’, 5 September 2014, available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/ic/natohq/official_texts_112964.htm, accessed 19 July 2018.

8 ‘NATO Response Force’, 16 January 2017, available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/ua/natohq/topics_49755.htm, accessed 19 July 2018.

9 ‘NATO Response Force/Very High Readiness Joint Task Force’, January 2016, available at: https://shape.nato.int/nato-response-force--very-high-readiness-joint-task-force, accessed 19 July 2018.

10 ‘Readiness Action Plan’, 21 September 2017, available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/ua/natohq/topics_119353.htm, accessed 19 July 2018.

11 ‘NATO Response Force/Very High Readiness Joint Task Force’, January 2016, available at: https://shape.nato.int/nato-response-force--very-high-readiness-joint-task-force, accessed 19 July 2018.

12 ‘NATO Assurance Measures’, 2018, available at: https://shape.nato.int/nato-assurance-measures, accessed 1 April 2018.

13 ‘Boosting NATO’s Presence in the East and Southeast’, 2 March 2018, available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_136388.htm?selectedLocale=en, accessed 23 July 2018.

14 Interviews with: a representative of Capabilities Section, Defence Policy Directorate, NATO HQ, Brussels, 24 October 2016; one of the Deputy Assistants of NATO Secretary General, Brussels, 24 October 2016; a defence counsellor at the Czech delegation to NATO HQ, Brussels, 24 October 2016.

15 Interviews with: a representative of Capabilities Section, Defence Policy Directorate, NATO HQ, Brussels, 24 October 2016; one of the Deputy Assistants of NATO Secretary General, Brussels, 24 October 2016; a defence counsellor at the Czech delegation to NATO HQ, Brussels, 24 October 2016.

16 Interviews with: a representative of the Capabilities Section, Defence Policy Directorate, NATO HQ, Brussels, 24 October 2016; one of the Deputy Assistants of NATO Secretary General, Brussels, 24 October 2016.

17 Interviews with: a representative of the Capabilities Section, Defence Policy Directorate, NATO HQ, Brussels, 24 October 2016; one of the Deputy Assistants of NATO Secretary General, Brussels, 24 October 2016.

18 Interview with a representative of the Capabilities Section, Defence Policy Directorate, NATO HQ, Brussels, 24 October 2016.

19 Interview with a representative of the Capabilities Section, Defence Policy Directorate, NATO HQ, Brussels, 24 October 2016.

20 For a similar conclusion, see Zapfe (2017, p. 148).

21 Interview with one of the Deputy Assistants of NATO Secretary General, Brussels, 24 October 2016.

22 ‘NATO Response Force/Very High Readiness Joint Task Force’, January 2016, available at: https://shape.nato.int/nato-response-force--very-high-readiness-joint-task-force, accessed 19 July 2018.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tomáš Karásek

Tomáš Karásek, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague, U Krize 8, 158 00 Prague, Czech Republic. Email: [email protected]