RS21510 -- NATO's Decision-Making Procedure
Updated March 8, 2004

	Background (1)

In February 2003, the United States asked that NATO begin planning to provide Turkey with defensive systems in the event of an attack by Iraq during theimpending war with Saddam Hussein's regime. Consensus in the NATO Decision-Making Process

Consensus in the NAC is generally sought when allied governments must formulate policy on an important strategic issue. Structure and Process. Some officials who have served at NATO make a contrary argument to the possible usefulness of "committees of contributors."
This report provides a brief analysis of NATO's decision-making procedures, withseveral examples of how theallies have handled sensitive issues in the past. It describes the February 2003 dispute over providing NATO defenseplanning and equipment to Turkey, andanalyzes the debate over the decision-making process, including possible alterations of that process. This reportwill be periodically updated. See also CRS Report RS21354, The NATO Summit at Prague, 2002.