America, the EU and Strategic Culture: Transatlantic Security Relations after the Cold War (Contemporary Security Studies)

This book provides a provocative analysis of relations between Europe and America during the tempestuous years 1998-2004. Analysing EU foreign policy, it concludes that the lessons learnt in interacting with America have been crucial in shaping the emerging EU strategic culture. The book challenges established orthodoxy regarding the sui generis nature of the European Union. Through detailed case-studies, it shows how the US influenced decisions during the formative years of the EU foreign and security policy: during the 1999 Kosovo war, the EU and NATO enlargement processes, and the 2003 Iraq crisis. However, the book argues that although policy ends may be lead by the US, the EU is growing increasingly confident in selecting distinctively ‘European’ means to achieve these goals. These findings have important implications for understanding both the EU as a foreign policy actor and of the EU-US partnership at the start of the 21st century. This new volume moves beyond the limits of current debate to show how today's foreign policy is increasingly about values rather than interests and why ethics are now playing a central role. Rather than counterposing interests and ethics, trying to find 'hidden agendas' or emphasizing the double-standards at play in ethical foreign policy, this book brings together leading international theorists, and a variety of stimulating approaches, to develop a critical understanding of the rise of ethical foreign policy, and to analyze the limits of ethical policy-making on its own terms. They deal with the limits of 'ethical foreign policy' both in the light of the internal dynamic of these policies themselves, and with regard to the often unintended consequences of policies designed to better the world. This book also shows how the transformation of both the domestic and the international spheres of politics means that ethics has become a rallying point for non-state actors and experts who gather around values and norms in order to force institutions to justify their behavior.; This process results from different structural changes and the transformation of the international system, the individualization of Western societies and the growing importance of expertise in the justification of decisions in risk adverse societies. It leads to a transformation of norms and to a redefinition of a global ethical framework that needs to be clarified. This book will be of great interest to all students and researchers of foreign policy formation, politics and international relations

This book provides a provocative analysis of relations between Europe and America during the tempestuous years 1998-2004. Analysing EU foreign policy, it concludes that the lessons learnt in interacting with America have been crucial in shaping the emerging EU strategic culture.

The book challenges established orthodoxy regarding the sui generis nature of the European Union. Through detailed case-studies, it shows how the US influenced decisions during the formative years of the EU foreign and security policy: during the 1999 Kosovo war, the EU and NATO enlargement processes, and the 2003 Iraq crisis. However, the book argues that although policy ends may be lead by the US, the EU is growing increasingly confident in selecting distinctively ‘European’ means to achieve these goals. These findings have important implications for understanding both the EU as a foreign policy actor and of the EU-US partnership at the start of the 21st century.

Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Contents......Page 8 Tables......Page 11 Preface......Page 12 Introduction......Page 14 1 Understanding transatlantic relations......Page 18 2 The transatlantic bargain......Page 34 3 The Kosovo war......Page 63 4 EU and NATO enlargements......Page 92 5 The Iraq crisis......Page 128 6 Towards a bipolar West......Page 156 Notes......Page 165 Bibliography......Page 194 Index......Page 220 Social Sciences Book Cover 1 Title 6 Copyright 7 Contents 8 Tables 11 Preface 12 Introduction 14 1 Understanding transatlantic relations 18 2 The transatlantic bargain 34 3 The Kosovo war 63 4 EU and NATO enlargements 92 5 The Iraq crisis 128 6 Towards a bipolar West 156 Notes 165 Bibliography 194 Index 220 This is a provocative analysis of relations between Europe and America during the tempestuous years 1998-2004. Analysing EU foreign policy, the text concludes that the lessons learnt in interacting with America have been crucial in shaping the emerging EU strategic culture This book examines transatlantic security relations after the Cold War, and how this has influenced the development of an EU strategic culture.