Central Treaty Organization

The Central Treaty Organization (also referred to as CENTO, original name was Middle East Treaty Organization or METO, also known as the Baghdad Pact) was adopted in 1955 by Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan, and Iran, as well as Britain. Although American pressure, along with promises of military and economic largesse, were key in the negotiations leading to the agreement, the United States chose not to initially participate as to avoid alienating Arab states with which it was still attempting to cultivate friendly relations, some of whom saw the Pact as being an attempt by the British to retain influence in the Middle East after withdrawal from India. In 1958 the United States finally joined the alliance. It is generally viewed as one of the least successful of the Cold War alliances. Organizations headquarters was initially located in Baghdad, Iraq.

Modeled after the North Atlantic Treaty Organization it committed the nations to mutual cooperation and protection, as well as non-intervention in each other's affairs. Its goal was to contain the Soviet Union by having a line of strong states along the USSR's southwestern frontier.

In 1959, Iraq, under its new Republican regime, backed out of the Baghdad Pact. Thus, CENTO was created to replace the now-defunct pact.

The United States had a facility in a member state, Pakistan, for spying on the Soviet Union. Based in Peshawar, Pakistan, Lockheed U-2 spy planes flew reconnaissance missions over Soviet airspace. After the U-2 Crisis of 1960, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev warned Pakistan that it had become a target for Soviet nuclear forces.

The Middle East and South Asia became extremely volatile areas during the 1960s with the ongoing Arab-Israeli Conflict and the Indo-Pakistani Wars. The United States and CENTO were unwilling to get involved in either dispute. American support for Israel also damaged relations between the States and the Muslim members. In 1965 and 1971 Pakistan tried unsuccessfully to get assistance in its wars with India through CENTO.

Most importantly, the alliance did little to prevent the expansion of Soviet influence to non-member states in the area. Other states in the Middle East felt excluded from CENTO and turned to the Soviets, including Egypt and Syria. Whatever containment value the pact might have had was lost once after the Soviets 'leap-frogged' the member states. Indeed, by 1970, the U.S.S.R. had deployed over 20,000 troops to Egypt, and had established naval bases in Syria, Somalia, and South Yemen.

It lasted nominally until the Iranian revolution of 1979. However, in reality, it had been as good as finished after 1974, when Turkey invaded Cyprus, leading the United Kingdom to withdraw forces from there that had been declared to the alliance. With the fall of Iran, whatever remaining rationale for the organization was lost. Future U.S. and British defense ties to regional countries -- such as Pakistan, Egypt, and the Gulf States -- was conducted bilaterally.

HISTORY

• 1954 February: Turkey signs a Pact of Mutual Cooperation with Pakistan.
• 1955 February 24: A military agreement is signed between Iraq and Turkey, and the term "Baghdad Pact" is started to be used. Iran, Pakistan and Britain join the Baghdad Pact.
• 1959 March: The new republican regime of Iraq withdraws the country from the alliance.
• 1965: Pakistan tries to get help from their allies in their war against India, but without success.
• 1971: In a new war with India, and Pakistan tries once again unsuccessfully to get allied assistance. (The U.S. provides limited military support to Pakistan, but not under the rubric of CENTO.)
• 1979: The new Islamic regime of Iran withdraws the country from CENTO.