[lazide]

The point of NATO is exactly why Russia fears it - consolidated strength that makes it impossible to pick off member states one by one by a stronger power (namely Russia). Russia and the USSR weren’t invited because they explicitly were the threat.

[mushbino]

Wouldn't that explicitly prevent them from doing just that? Also, so far NATO has been used to bomb Yugoslavia and Libya. It appears it's NATO doing the picking off, doesn't it?

[DeathArrow]

So if Iraq or Vietnam joined NATO would that defended them against US aggression?

[lazide]

They are not geographically contiguous or traditionally aligned with Western Europe and the US, and so would never be allowed to join.

It’s basically a Western European ‘neighborhood watch’ that the US is also in as the representative for ‘the police’ (based on spending/contribution).

[mushbino]

Which part of the neighborhood watch were Libya, Afghanistan, and Yugoslavia?