Why the Indo-Pacific Region Needs Its Own Version of NATO

In April 1949, President Harry Truman delivered a speech at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. announcing the founding of NATO to protect against the USSR. Today, NATO remains preeminent, safeguarding 29 European nations against Russian aggression. Similarly, a bold and far-reaching vision is needed to counter the current threat facing the Indo-Pacific region. Despite the Chinese government’s warnings, policymakers in Washington should consider the benefits of forging a regional military alliance in the Pacific, rather than underestimating the Chinese threat. The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), founded in 1954, was constructed on the same premises as NATO, but internal conflict and a lack of a clear regional threat led to its dissolution in 1977. However, with China representing a greater threat and the existence of ASEAN showing a framework for cooperation, the foundations for a region-encompassing defense treaty exist. Recent reports indicate that the U.S. military may not be equipped to confront China alone, and a potential munitions crisis could exacerbate the issue. Resurrecting some version of SEATO could provide cover for the U.S. as it sorts out its domestic position and seeks to maintain its position as leader and defender of the free world.