This book takes a new approach to answering the question of how NATO survived after the Cold War by examining its complex relationship with the United States. A closer look at major NATO engagements in the post-Cold War era, including in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, reveals how the US helped comprehensively reshape the alliance. In every conflict, there was tension between the United States and its allies over mission leadership, political support, legal precedents, military capabilities, and financial contributions. The author explores why allied actions resulted in both praise and criticism of NATO’s contributions from American policymakers, and why despite all of this and the growing concern over the alliance’s perceived shortcomings the United States continued to support the alliance. In addition to demonstrating the American influence on the alliance, this works demonstrates why NATO’s survival is beneficial to US interests.

本书通过研究北约与美国的复杂关系，采取了一种新的方法来回答冷战后北约如何生存的问题。仔细观察北约在后冷战时代的主要交战，包括在巴尔干、阿富汗、伊拉克和利比亚的交战，可以看出美国是如何帮助全面重塑这个联盟的。在每一次冲突中，美国与其盟国之间在任务领导、政治支持、法律先例、军事能力和财政贡献方面都存在紧张关系。作者探讨了为什么盟国的行动导致美国政策制定者对北约的贡献有褒有贬，以及为什么尽管这一切以及对联盟被认为是缺点的日益关注，美国仍继续支持该联盟。除了展示美国对联盟的影响外，这部作品还展示了为什么北约的生存对美国的利益有利。