Defence, Political, Security, Military This is the official LinkedIn page of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Comments posted by followers do not necessarily represent official opinion or policy of member governments, or of NATO. NATO is a military alliance established by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949. NATO's essential purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. POLITICAL - NATO promotes democratic values and encourages consultation and cooperation on defence and security issues to build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict. MILITARY - NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military capacity needed to undertake crisis-management operations. These are carried out under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty - NATO's founding treaty - or under a UN mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organizations. Source: http://www.nato.int/nato-welcome/index.html and http://www.nato.int/history/nato-history.html