European Security after the Cold War

Abstract

Abstract : Each of the three great conflicts of the 20th century- World War I, World War II, and the Cold War, has changed the international system. Each at its end has been accompanied by the hope for a collective security system in order to prevent future conflicts. The Cold War lasted 40 years. Today we are on the threshold of a new world order. The revolutions in Eastern Europe in 1989 and the subsequent unification of Germany disrupted the postwar security order in Europe. The dissolution of the 'Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union has caused dramatic changes in the region. In the East, the Commonwealth if Independent States has e future. In the West, we see more gradual adaptation to the new European situation. The end of the Cold War has inspired European public opinion to call for the redesigning of Europe's security structure and has raised questions about the future relevance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The end of the Cold War, has inspired a serious discussion for the prospects of building a collective European security system without military alliances and dividing lines between nations or groups of nations. The purpose of this paper is to examine the current political and geostrategic environment in post-Cold Europe, the rising instability and threats to European security, and the necessity for a new collective security system.