Today’s capitalist-imperialist global system is an American creation. Its foundations were laid by the US itself in the aftermath of the Second World War. Eighty years have passed since then. Shifting balances of power have eroded the US-centred international system established after 1945.
The global order that the US designed itself after the Second World War, when it proclaimed its imperialist hegemonic leadership, is now a hindrance to the US.
And now, under Trump’s leadership, American imperialism seeks to reshape this order—which it has championed in its own interests—in its entirety, due to shifting geopolitical balances.
Trump’s withdrawal from more than 80 international organisations, his territorial claims, the trade and military conflicts he has instigated, and the threats he has hurled are all manifestations of this initiative.
THE ORDER IT ESTABLISHED IS NOW A BURDEN
Reports from the Davos Economic Forum, which brings together representatives of global capitalism, and the Munich Security Conference, which unites the military and security bureaucracy, explicitly state that the US-centred system is beginning to crumble.
Trump, too, repeatedly asserts that this system—which they themselves established 80 years ago—has now become a millstone around America’s neck.
The Munich Security Conference’s report, titled ‘Under Demolition’, stated that the post-war international order had entered a ‘process of demolition’, and that the US—which had until now acted as the guardian of the global system—had initiated this process, having come to view the existing order as contrary to its own interests.
A NEW FORMAT FOR NATO: 3.0
At the forefront of the institutions that Trump wishes to reshape in line with US global interests is NATO, the military organisation that has, until now, served as the armed guardian of the American order.
US Secretary of War Hegseth announced this new transformation as “NATO 3.0”. Stating that allies must take on greater responsibility, Hegseth explains their aim to “transform NATO back into an alliance focused on genuine military power” in the following words:
“We are building a NATO 3.0 based on the NATO 1.0 model that won the Cold War. Our allies must take a leading role in Europe’s conventional defence. Europe was meant to be a military power allied with a strong America. That was the essence of NATO 1.0. NATO 2.0, which did not focus on defending Europe, drifted towards operations outside the region and issues that had nothing to do with warfare.”
According to news agencies, the US Secretary of State argued that the Alliance had lost its way during the NATO 2.0 era, describing this period as the ‘lost years’.
WHAT WERE NATO’S FUNDAMENTAL MISSIONS?
Established on 4 April 1949 to act as the armed guardian of the capitalist-imperialist system, NATO is set to hold one of the most critical summits in its history in Ankara. The decision on NATO 3.0 will be taken at the meeting on 7–8 July.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which celebrated its 77th anniversary on 4 April, had three fundamental founding principles:
Combating the left and socialism: Firstly, to act as the guards against the left and socialism. NATO was established before the Cold War had actually begun
To act as the guardian of capitalism: The second was to ensure the armed security of this system and of US-centred Western imperialism in line with the needs of capitalism.
Control over European allies: Another justification was the US’s desire to keep its European allies under control. The US opposes the EU using a military force independent of NATO.
THE ‘FACTORY SETTINGS’ MESSAGE
During this period, the war organisation NATO has fulfilled the role and mission expected of it by US-centred Western imperialism in the bloodiest manner possible. It has carried out every kind of war, conflict and intervention.
As its fundamental raison d’être is to act as the ‘guardian of capitalism’ and to serve the needs of capitalism, it has continued to expand and consolidate its existence, even after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Many significant summits have been held in the history of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to date. One of the most important of these was the Lisbon Summit, held on 19–21 November 2010. A new 10-year strategic plan (concept) regarding NATO’s role in the world was approved.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary-General at the time, would later state that the summit would come to be seen as a turning point in the Alliance’s history.
Another striking aspect of the summit was the participation of Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia—a country now declared an ‘enemy’.
IMPERIALISM’S BLOODY TEETH
Whilst the US, under Trump, is returning to 19th-century imperialism, the aim is for the Alliance to return to its roots through the ‘NATO 3.0’ model and become a genuine military alliance.
As NATO seeks to move away from non-military agendas and return to ‘hard power’, new roles, tasks and responsibilities are being assigned to allies, including Türkiye.
THE PROJECT IS NOT NEW
The ‘NATO 3.0’ plan is not new; it has been on the agenda for some time. On 12 February, US Deputy Secretary of Defence Eldridge Colby also articulated this at the NATO defence ministers’ summit in Brussels, stating: “What is needed is a ‘NATO 3.0’.”
Whilst the US seeks to shift its focus to the Indo-Pacific region, it wishes to shift the financial burden of a strengthened NATO—under its control—onto its European allies. The calls for allies to allocate 3.5% of their GDP to defence are a consequence of this.
A GUARD DUTY FOR TURKIYE
Whilst efforts to reshape NATO, a war organisation, are ongoing, new roles are being assigned to Türkiye – which will host the summit on 7–8 July – and other alliance members.
Whilst American and Western imperialism is positioning Türkiye in the Middle East, the political Islamist government has internalised this situation. There is no task or mission it will refuse in exchange for getting what it wants at home.
As NATO is reshaped in line with imperialism’s new orientations, the ‘legitimacy derived from the Americans’ secured in exchange for transforming Türkiye into the ‘alliance’s’ forward outpost will come at a heavy price.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled NATO 3.0 formatında Türkiye’ye bekçilik rolü published in BirGün newspaper on June 20, 2026.
Kaynak: BirGün