Today, April 4, NATO’s criminal cartel turns 70 years old. Created in 1949, the Atlantic Pact was a “defensive” alliance guaranteeing the sovereignty of the “free world” against the “red danger”. Not only did this so-called communist threat never exist, but NATO used this pretext to attack any progressive movement in Europe and also to target national liberation movements that challenged the colonial order in the years 1950-1960.

After the overthrow of socialism in the USSR and Eastern Europe, it would have been logical for NATO to disappear, just as the Warsaw Pact dissolved. But far from dismantling, NATO kept strengthening continuously since the 1990s. Not only is it expanding more and more to the markets of Russia and China, but its aggressiveness is growing to the point where it is today the greatest threat to peace, democracy and the sovereignty of the peoples throughout the world.

The world is living in dangerous times, marked by the increasing possibility of major globalized conflicts, including nuclear, because of the growing aggressiveness of NATO and its allies, including Canada. While the 70th anniversary of this terrorist organization is being commemorated, it is essential that we mobilize to demand the immediate exit of Canada from this pact, which since 1949 has only called for war. We can not accept that Canada promote the interests of imperialism on our name.

Ten good reasons for Canada to get out of NATO

1. For Peace: Since its creation, NATO has only served to wage war as well as being one of the main obstacles to peace across the world. Millions of people died under the bombs of their armies in Yugoslavia, Syria, Iraq and Libya. NATO has never been a defensive alliance, but an offensive alliance serving the interests of Western imperialism. Moreover, the NATO Charter is clear on this: it endorses the « first strike » principle, which means that any member country has the right to open hostilities if it feels “threatened” . That is how the United States entered Afghanistan after September 11, 2001.
2. For international solidarity: breaking out of NATO through our struggles would mark a first step towards breaking with the current foreign policy based on the interests of the big companies and pave the way for a foreign policy based on the right to sovereignty and self-determination, peace, solidarity and sustainable development.
3. For democracy: wherever NATO bullets have left their mark, it is oligarchs, warlords or other proxies of Western imperialism who are the winners through rigged elections organized under conditions of war. widespread corruption. It is no coincidence that, from Yugoslavia to Libya, one of the first measures of these despots was to privatize the economy and open it up to foreign investors, thus greatly impacting the social services that had guaranteed a level of relatively pleasant life for local people.
4. For people’s sovereignty: the right to national sovereignty is at the root of international standards and the UN Charter. Thus, by attacking a sovereign state, NATO violates international law.
5. For the environment: the military-industrial complex is the largest emitter of CO2 and therefore poses a considerable risk to our environment. In addition, military bases and nuclear test centers pose a threat to the surrounding ecosystems.
6. Against racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia: to justify the dirty imperialist wars, NATO member countries do not hesitate to use racism to better demonize populations to attack. For example, according to western imperialism’s iconography, Palestinians defending their land are depicted as blood-thirsty terrorists and antisemites…
7. Against skyrocketing military spending: NATO member countries alone account for 56% of military spending worldwide. By 2019, these countries are expected to spend more than $ 1000 billion. For its part, Canada spends more than $ 20 billion, a figure that is expected to reach $ 36 billion in 2027 after an announced military budget increase of 73%.
8. Against Foreign Military Bases and Troop Deployments: The United States alone has 900 foreign military bases (many of which encircle Russia and China). France and Britain, meanwhile, can count on thousands of soldiers stationed in their respective colonies. NATO forces are therefore at a stone’s throw from any potentially sensitive area and are therefore ready to attack virtually any country. As for countries like Canada, which do not have foreign military bases, they still deploy troops abroad and, as is currently the case in Latvia, can even lead imperialist NATO missions.
9. Against capitalism and imperialism: It would be a mistake to think that NATO is only a military alliance between consenting countries. In fact, since its creation, its mission isn’t to solely defend territories, but also to defend capitalism’s hegemony over Europe and North America. This is what Article 2 of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO’s ‘Constitution’) stipulates as it claims that member countries “will seek to eliminate conflict in their international economic policies.” Reading between the lines, it simply means that NATO member-countries commit to capitalism and to the defense of western imperialism.
10. Because it’s easy: according to Article 13 of the North Atlantic Treaty, any country can unilaterally withdraw from NATO provided that the Treaty has been in force for 20 years. We only need political will for it to happen…