Working for peace, security and freedom for one billion people. Official LinkedIn account of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. #NATO #WeAreNATO 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