Marshall Plan

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Marshall Plan

Since its development, Marshall Plan has elicited mixed reactions from different fronts.  The plan is believed to have been successful after World War II in assisting rebuilding of nations in Europe and protecting the countries from the expanding Russian threat. Currently, the discussion about the plan is ongoing.  This paper discusses the progress of U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in efforts to build defense institution to protect Eastern Europe nations from Russia. The paper also assesses the viability of the plan and its benefits to U.S. and Russia if any. 

NATO has been in the forefront protecting European countries from any Russian aggression. Currently, NATO has played a critical role in many issues touching on the security of many states in the Eastern Europe such as Afghanistan and Iraq. For instance, after the terror attack on 9/11 NATO deployed its mission in Afghanistan to secure the security of U.S. and these Eastern Europe states (Hanlon, 2017).  Furthermore, it continues to assist new member states settle for peace by avoiding conflict with one another. Example of such states is Greece and Turkey, which were involved in Cold War (Hanlon, 2017).  NATO as well helps in consolidation of democratic rule and civilian control of the forces during the post-cold war expansion period. Currently, the organization is becoming controversial, on its decision of including other post Soviet republics such as Georgia and Ukraine as part of its membership (Hanlon, 2017).  Russia is opposed to such efforts an issue that raises eyebrows and likely to escalate uncertainty.

Furthermore, NATO and U.S. have been vocal in championing for Russia withdrawal of its military in Ukraine to foster peace.  The involvement of U.S. in the issues of Ukraine and at the sometime Russia having vested interests in the country has continued to remain a point of contentious. Furthermore, U. S. has through its foreign policy involved in economic and security aspects that affect Eastern Europe countries (Hanlon, 2017). It has set its bases and deployed its mission to help broker peace and ensure that conflicts are resolved in a peaceful way.

The current Trump government, before Trump ascended to power indicated the possibility of these two hegemonies coming and settling their conflict in a peaceful way (Rumer, Sokolsky, Stronski & Weiss, 2017). However, the allegations of Russia interfering with the election processes and some of the comments from Trump have had the potential of heightening the friction between these two nations and the efforts of U.S. and NATO to promote peace and protect countries in the Eastern Europe from Russia aggression (Rumer, Sokolsky, Stronski & Weiss, 2017).

Even though the involvement of NATO and U.S. is an expensive venture because it requires big budget, it is important, critical, and better way that will accrue benefits to both Russia and U.S. (Pedaliu, 2017). U.S. will benefit because, it will in the long run reduce its foreign aids to the missions that get involved in the peace restoration. Furthermore, this will encourage economic conditions that will stimulate political stability and nation building in those parts of Eastern Europe that are devastated (Rumer, Sokolsky, Stronski & Weiss, 2017).   Peace is critical for U.S. because, it will enable the country to transact its businesses better. Similarly, this will benefit Russia, as it will be able to reduce its budgetary allocation for security. This will conducive environment for evolution of western values, which will enable former enemies of adversaries to join hand and work together for the common good of their people (Rumer, Sokolsky, Stronski & Weiss, 2017). Russia will also experience peace and economic stability because of the cross border trade. Environment of doing business will be conducive as the political environmental will have been stabilized.

Conclusively, Marshall Plan even though has proven to be costly at some point, it provided the framework for peace in the cold war period. The benefits that accrue from the Plan are enormous and cannot be quantified.  Adversarial hegemony; U.S. and Russia have to work together and promote peace. Continuous conflicts especially on the Eastern Europe side should not persist as it negative impacts of the lives of many.