Atlantic Dreams and European Realities: British Foreign Policy After Iraq

Abstract

To what extent has the outcome of the Iraq invasion undermined the assumptions underpinning post‐war British foreign policy? This article seeks to address this question in light of historical precedence and domestic political constraints. It argues that while political elites remain attached to the interconnected roles of loyal US ally and transatlantic interlocutor, their ability to pursue them has been impeded by public hostility to US global leadership. In consequence, they have prioritized issues of ‘soft security’ where the British preferences are closer to those of other EU member states than to the USA. Almost by default, therefore, British governments may find themselves utilizing the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and European security and defence policy (ESDP) as primary forums for pursuing British interests.