What does NATO do for America?

NATO’s existence has always been controversial. Indeed, each decade starting in the 1950s had an alliance crisis of some sort, with NATO often acting as the conduit for the expression of transatlantic disgruntlement. This should not undermine the fact that the alliance provided real benefits to the United States and its foreign policy interests over the last seven decades. This article engages in a stocktaking exercise, from an American perspective, considering what NATO delivered to the U.S. since its founding in April 1949. What value did NATO provide to the United States and are NATO’s benefits still evident today?