Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Pem
The US is part of NATO (possibly the biggest part) - so would any treaty apply - would NATO still exist or would one NATO country attacking another make it cease to exist. I'm not going to guess - I simply don't know.
|
I had a quick look. The members need to invoke article 5 which states that an attack on one country is an attack on the whole of NATO. I suppose there would be the option of not invoking article 5. I don't know if any members have a veto in this btw.
http://www.nato.int/docu/basictxt/treaty.htm
Quote:
Article 5
The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.
|
Reading article 5, I suppose they could also decide that no action is deemed necessary...