Allies at Odds? : The United States and the European Union

Why, despite their similar goals, do the policy preferences of the European Union and United States diverge on so many multilateral issues? To answer that question, Allies at Odds thoroughly examines recent international efforts in arms control, environmental protection, human rights, and military cooperation. Evidence from twenty separate cases supports the expectations of the realist approach to international politics, which focuses on the role of power above all. Neither cultural factors nor international institutions have as much influence as some expect. This finding was as true during the Clinton Presidency as during the current Bush administration, indicating that focusing on personalities overlooks more substantial and longer-lasting differences between the Atlantic allies.

Why, despite their similar goals, do the policy preferences of the European Union and United States diverge on so many multilateral issues? To answer that question, Allies at Odds thoroughly examines recent international efforts in arms control, environmental protection, human rights, and military cooperation. Evidence from twenty separate cases supports the expectations of the realist approach to international politics, which focuses on the role of power above all. Neither cultural factors nor international institutions have as much influence as some expect. This finding was as true during the Clinton Presidency as during the current Bush administration, indicating that focusing on personalities overlooks more substantial and longer-lasting differences between the Atlantic allies.

Annotation Why, despite their similar goals, do the policy preferences of the European Union and United States diverge on so many multilateral issues? To answer that question, Allies at Odds? thoroughly examines recent international efforts in arms control, environmental protection, human rights, and military cooperation. Evidence from 20 separate cases supports the expectations of the realist approach to international politics, which focuses on the role of power above all. Neither cultural factors nor international institutions have as much influence as some expect. This finding was as true during the Clinton Presidency as during the Bush, indicating that focusing on personalities overlooks more substantial and longer-lasting differences between the Atlantic allies Front Matter....Pages i-xi The United States and the European Union: On the Brink of the Transatlantic Rift?....Pages 1-15 International Relations Approaches and Transatlantic Relations....Pages 17-33 Arms Control....Pages 35-60 Environment....Pages 61-83 Human Rights....Pages 85-111 Military Cooperation....Pages 113-146 Conclusions....Pages 147-168 Back Matter....Pages 169-228 'Allies At Odds?' explores the differences between policy preferences of the European Union & the United States. Mowle examines some 20 policy issues to argue that the dominant factor is not cultural, but a realist approach to international politics, onethat focuses above all on power Om forholdet mellem Europa og USA, der gradvist er kølnet siden den kolde krigs afslutning. Forfatteren behandler fire områder: våbenkontrol, det globale miljø, menneskerettigheder og militært samarbejde