NATO is considering appointing a senior official to oversee counterterrorism efforts in an effort to focus more on terrorist threat as per the demands of President Donald Trump.
This move will be in line with NATO’s recent decision to create a top intelligence post, which Mr. Trump has praised and declared a clear sign that the Alliance is becoming proactive rather than obsolete.
So far there are no vocal oppositions of the counterterrorism post expressed by any of NATO member-countries, however there are concerns that special-operation forces will be quite heavy for the organization’s budget, which might need to be expanded. Some countries have already voiced their disagreement about increasing NATO’s budget.
It is expected that the Alliance will consider the idea however it is not expected to take any decision before formal proposal of the post is made by the USA.
NATO diplomats have been discussing how they can expand counterterrorism training, including ways to use allied special operations forces to better train antiterror commandos in the Middle East and Africa. However no NATO member, including the U.S., has advocated the alliance conducting counterterrorism strikes or taking a direct attack role in the military fight against Islamic State in Syria, Libya or Afghanistan.
