After rejecting the BRICS, Argentina takes a dangerous step, building a dream or digging its own grave?
On the international political stage, Argentina has captured the world's attention with every step it takes. Recently, the South American country has once again become the focus of public opinion, and the reason is that it has made an unexpected move - after politely rejecting the BRICS, it has instead sent an application to the purely military organization NATO. This shift has not only sparked widespread speculation, but also made people uncertain about Argentina's future.
Argentina, once an economic powerhouse, is now facing serious economic challenges. Against this background, its decision to reject the BRICS is all the more remarkable. BRICS, as a representative of emerging markets, has always been committed to promoting economic cooperation and development among member countries. However, Argentina has chosen to pass by with it, and what is the reason for this?
According to analysis, Argentina's rejection of the BRICS is mainly due to concerns about political goals. The Argentine government believes that the BRICS is too focused on political goals and neglects economic ones. In the current economic predicament, Argentina needs tangible economic assistance, not empty political promises. Therefore, Argentina has chosen a different path - to send an application to NATO, hoping to become its "global partner".
NATO, an international organization focused on military cooperation, seems alien to Argentina's traditional foreign policy. Argentina, however, seems to see an opportunity. Becoming a NATO "global partner" means that Argentina will receive more technical support and security guarantees. In the context of the current complex and volatile international situation, this undoubtedly provides Argentina with a new way of guaranteeing security.
However, this decision of Argentina is not without risks. First of all, as a purely military organization, NATO's cooperation focus is mainly on non-traditional security areas, such as counter-terrorism and peacekeeping. This does not seem to match the current economic difficulties that Argentina is facing. Secondly, being a NATO "global partner" does not mean that Argentina will enjoy the protection of Article V of NATO's collective defense. In other words, in the event of an attack on Argentina, NATO will not send troops to help. It is questionable how much real benefit such a "partnership" can bring to Argentina.
Why, then, did Argentina insist on applying to become a NATO "global partner"? According to the Argentine side, this decision was mainly based on the consideration of access to advanced technology, security systems, and training. However, this explanation seems a bit far-fetched. After all, there is no obvious risk of war for Argentina in Latin America. The only point of contention is the dispute with Britain over sovereignty over the Falklands. But this controversy does not appear to be directly related to becoming a "global partner" of NATO.
It is worth mentioning that Argentina's application to become a NATO "global partner" also requires the consent of full NATO members. Among them, the United Kingdom, as a member of NATO, has veto power over Argentina's application. This undoubtedly added uncertainty to the Argentine application. Against this backdrop, why would Argentina take the plunge?
There are two related events behind it that may provide us with the answer. The first thing is that Argentina signed an agreement with Denmark for the purchase of used F-16 fighters. This move is clearly at odds with Argentina's traditional foreign policy, but it is closely linked to NATO's military cooperation. The second thing is that the United States announced a $40 million financing to Argentina for military modernization and upgrading. Both of these events seem to hint at some kind of tacit understanding between Argentina and NATO.
Argentina's decision has undoubtedly brought more uncertainty to its future. In the face of a dire economic situation, should Argentina concentrate on economic development instead of indulging in the intensification of the ideological and military spheres?
What the future holds for Argentina is unknown. But one thing is for sure, no matter which path Argentina chooses, it will require effort and cost. It is hoped that Argentina will be able to assess the situation and make a wise choice that is in line with its own interests.