• Zaktor@sopuli.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      edit-2
      4 hours ago

      Article 5 requires co-defense an attack occurs in the territory of NATO nations (or places occupied by members when NATO was created). It doesn’t cover US forces getting put in harms way and attacked in a non-member country. It doesn’t even cover troops getting attacked in Hawaii.

        • Zaktor@sopuli.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          4 hours ago

          I’m not sure what you’re trying to say with this comment, but NATO was in Afghanistan because the US mainland was attacked, not because some soldiers got attacked in a foreign country.

          • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            4 hours ago

            NATO joined the US in Afghanistan well after 9/11. Fact is NATO will respond to the attack of any member’s forces, if in their homeland or not. At sea, for instance.

            • Zaktor@sopuli.xyz
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              3 hours ago

              That’s just not true. These aren’t arcane pieces of information, they’re bureaucracy from an international treaty. You can just go read the NATO treaty, which defines what an attack is (Article 6). Or go read the history of the NATO in Afghanistan. Article 5 was invoked for the first and only time on September 12th not because troops got hurt later. Remember how the same thing didn’t happen in any of America’s other wars?

              NATO will respond to attacks on forces at sea, but only in the North Atlantic or Mediterranean. It’s not a general “if you hurt an American soldier anywhere” treaty.