The Heritage Foundation

Monday, November 26, 2012
By Luke Coffey

In 1998, President Bill Clinton designated Argentina as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) of the United States—a highly sought-after status that includes exclusive military-to-military cooperation. Today, only 15 countries in the world enjoy MNNA status.

However, Argentina under the leadership of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is not the dependable and friendly Argentina of the 1990s. Consequently, Argentina should lose its MNNA status.

MNNA: A Worthy Program for Worthy Allies

The MNNA designation was established during the dying days of the Cold War in 1989 to acknowledge American partners that contribute to U.S. security, defense, and broader geopolitical goals but are not members of NATO. The first tranche of countries to become MNNAs included South Korea, Israel, Egypt, Australia, and Japan. The most recent country to be awarded this title was Afghanistan, designated in 2012 by President Barack Obama.

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