CIAO DATE: 08/2009
February 2008
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies
The new strategic environment has challenged the mission and identity of the Atlantic Alliance and caused serious disputes. Disputes between the European nations and the United States of America over burden-sharing and different roles have been a recurring feature of transatlantic relations. A great deal of thought is currently being given to new forms for the transatlantic partnership, although a viable outcome is still a long way off.
At present, the political elites in the U.S. and Europe are in a phase of redefining their relationship to one another. In Washington, conclusions and consequences are gradually being drawn from the difficult experiences of the Iraq crisis, while in Europe the controversy that has existed since the beginning of the European integration process between "Atlanticists" and "intergovernmentalists" on the one hand and "integrationalists" on the other has still not been settled.
Given that the outcome of these developments remains largely open; this article seeks to contribute to the debate on the future of NATO and the transatlantic community. A description of the main developments in NATO since the end of the Cold War - with special emphasis on the Alliances new military roles and missions - and a summary of different trends in the U.S. and Europe will provide a basis for analyzing the factors influencing a future transatlantic bargain inside, or in cooperation with, NATO. Finally, we examine the different options as to where transatlantic reactions may be headed.
Resource link: Sword or Ploughshare? New Roles for NATO and the Changing Nature of Transatlantic Relations [PDF] - 868K