NATO and the Cold War: History of American Foreign Policy

Much of the U.S.'s global policy of today is shaped by and/or is a reflection of the Cold War. One example is the War on Terror and the U.S.'s Middle East policy. Many of the key figures and past events during the Cold War are now key figures in the war against terrorism. During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, for instance, the United States aided and trained the Taliban to fight against the Soviets, much in the same way the Soviets aided the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam war. One figure who was trained in the Taliban was Osama bin Laden, whose terrorist organization benefitted from the training bin Laden received. The Middle East policy is also likewise influenced by former Cold War policies. Another example is Iran. During the 1950s, the Mossadegh administration was toppled through the newly formed CIA, after President Mossadegh nationalized his country's oilfields, thus angering U.S. and British petroleum companies who had exploited those fields. They installed the Shah Pahlavi to run the country, offering a bulwark for U.S. interests in that region against the nationalist interests of the Iranian people. The Shah, who proved to be a brutal dictator, was overthrown in the late 1970s by resistance groups under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini. To this day, Iran continues to be a source of conflict for the United States, particularly in how it shapes the Mid-east policies.

Another example of the Cold War shaping present-day policy, is nuclear armament. Though both the Soviet Union and the United States agreed to cut back on nuclear armament during the 1980s, other countries such as Israel, India, and Pakistan have nuclear programs. Iran and North Korea are working on building a nuclear defense program, which again, has currently caused problems for the United States when it recently tested a nuclear missile.