Seventy-five years ago, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed to promote collective defense among its member states. One of the key provisions of the treaty is Article Five, which obligates member states to consider an attack on any one of them as an attack on all. However, there is a geographical loophole that excludes certain U.S. territories from this protection.
Article Six of the treaty specifically states that Article Five only applies if the attack occurs north of the Tropic of Cancer. This means that Hawaii, Guam, and Puerto Rico, which are all south of the Tropic of Cancer, are not covered under Article Five. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, leaving Hawaii, Guam, and Puerto Rico exposed to potential attacks.
The origins of this loophole date back to the early years of NATO’s formation. The United States and Canada wanted to exclude all colonial territories from the treaty, while France sought to protect its colonies. The compromise resulted in the geographical limitation on Article Five.
Efforts are underway to rectify this situation. A group of bipartisan senators has written to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging him to clarify that an attack on Hawaii would be considered an attack on all NATO countries. The senators argue that Hawaii’s strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific region makes it crucial to include it under Article Five.
The senators, including Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, point out that Hawaii is home to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command headquarters and critical defense installations. They request that Blinken provide answers to a series of questions by September 1.
The exclusion of Hawaii from Article Five is a relic of a bygone era. The bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, which drew the United States into World War II, is a painful reminder of the importance of protecting American territory. The senators’ efforts to bring Hawaii under the umbrella of Article Five are a step towards ensuring the security and protection of all U.S. territories.
