Europe, America, Bush: Transatlantic Relations in the Twenty-First Century

The transatlantic partnership has been one of the most enduring of all international alliances. Even after the Cold War ended, the United States and its European partners intensified their economic and foreign policy cooperation, with Europe increasingly seeking to be a united, single partner acting through the European Union. However, long before war in Iraq threatened to rupture both the transatlantic alliance and the EU’s common foreign policy, two landmark events - the election of George W. Bush and the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 - raised profound new questions about US-European relations. The new Bush Administration quickly showed itself to be sharply at odds with both its predecessor and its European allies on issues such as missile defence, climate change and relations with Russia and China. The policy focus of transatlantic relations was then suddenly transformed by the 11 September terrorist attacks and the declaration of a War on Terrorism. In this book, American and European experts assess transatlantic relations on matters of foreign and security policy, economic diplomacy, justice and internal security cooperation, environmental policy and relations with Russia, the Balkans and the Middle East. Europe, America, Bush is the first study of underlying elements of continuity in the transatlantic relationship, as well as new and powerful forces for change. It offers a definitive assessment of whether, and how much, the election of George W. Bush, the events of 11 September and conflict over Iraq mark genuine and lasting change in transatlantic relations. Matthew Baldwin, European Commission Daniel Bodansky, University of Georgia Jolyon Howorth, University of Bath Margot Light, London School of Economics Cosst