What is a Defense Alliance?

Defense alliance is a group of countries, political parties, or people who agree to work together because of shared interests. These interests can include common threats or goals, such as protecting their citizens or businesses from attacks by a foreign power or promoting democracy and human rights in the world. Alliances can be formal or informal, and they can be military, political, economic, or social in nature.

A defensive alliance obligates members to protect their partners from attacks on their sovereignty or territorial integrity, using force if necessary. This type of alliance is also called a mutual defence agreement or a defense pact. The United States has defense pacts with most of Europe through NATO, as well as several countries in Asia and Latin America.

The United States is the strongest military power in the world, with the largest budget and most advanced technology. Its geographic location with few immediate neighbors helps deter direct attack from abroad. As a result, the U.S. has few concerns about defending smaller countries from military attacks, but it does have widespread global economic and political interests that may be threatened by stronger regional rivals.

The United States and its allies want to prevent Russia from threatening the Alliance with force. This includes working to improve NATO’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to crises, including through the Allied Reaction Force. It also involves enhancing Allies’ national and collective resilience by helping them prepare for, react to, recover from and adapt to changing security challenges, such as cyber intrusions.