The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, better known worldwide for its universal acronym NATO, is an international military and political alliance of states aligned with the United States of America. Its mainstay principle is found in Article V of the Treaty, which mentions that "an attack against one is an attack against all". It was formed in 1953 to act as a bulwark against Soviet aggression in Europe, alongside its sister alliance in the Pacific Containment Pact (PACOP), since the United Nations (UN) was transformed into an international forum. Most of its members are at least some degree of democratic, and practice free market capitalism. Though its main theatre of operations is undoubtedly Europe, NATO has a worldwide reach and maintains a number of missions throughout the planet, including within Oceanyka. With the creation of the Canton Protocol, NATO leadership has sought to internationalise its reach, perhaps resurrecting the original United Nations.
The following nations are members of NATO: