European-American Security in the Post-September 11 World. JMWP No. 42.02, May 2002

Schain, Martin (2002) European-American Security in the Post-September 11 World. JMWP No. 42.02, May 2002.

Abstract

[From the Introduction]. Since 1954, two issues have preoccupied US-European security relations. The Americans have been most concerned with getting the Europeans to increase their contribution to the common defense effort in the context of NATO; the Europeans have been most concerned with their ability to act independently outside of area and to influence American decision-making within the NATO area while maintaining the American commitment to the NATO area. What is most remarkable is that the end of the Cold War and the progress of European union has had remarkably little impact on the way that European defense and security is understood. From the European perspective, the old adage that the purpose of NATO was "to keep the Russians out, the Germans down and the Americans in" has changed only marginally. The Germans are no longer down; the Russians remain less than welcome allies but increasingly less out; and the Americans remain a necessary component to any concept of European security.