The Impact of European Security Architecture Changes on United States - European Relations

Abstract

Abstract : The changes in the European security architecture are the direct result of the changes in the threat since the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall. The disintegration of the Soviet Union and the reduced threat to Europe required the re-evaluation of the security and defense needs of the continent. The emergence of the new threat requires security structures that are light agile self-sustaining, and highly mobile. This paper will examine the impact of these recent changes in the European security architecture on United States - European relations. It will focus on the European Security and Defense Identify, the European Security and Defense Policy, as well as the European Union's Rapid Reaction Force, NATO's Response Force and NATO's Defense Capabilities Initiative I Prague Capabilities Commitment. The paper also examines the evolving relationship between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.