Transatlantic relations and peace in Europe

Abstract

What are the foundations of political order and peace in Europe? Various European observers have argued that US leadership and protection have pacified and stabilized the region by constraining rivalry for primacy among the leading powers in NATO Europe. In 1992 Manfred W6rner, the former German minister of defence then serving as NATO's secretary-general, said, 'If the United States disengages, I foresee a certain temptation for Western European nations to revert to past patterns of power politics.'T W6rner's apprehension has rarely been examined in depth. Besides being speculative and scenario-dependent, the topic appears distasteful and repellent. However, as a mental exercise, a Gedankenexperiment, it deserves attention. As a starting point, this article critically examines a recent novel that explores what might happen in Europe without NATO and US security commitments. It then reviews various theories regarding the origins of peace among the member states of the European Union. It points out that, thanks in large part to the Atlantic alliance and US security policies, the European integration movement has advanced under comparatively propitious international circumstances. The EU's ability to deal with major external security challenges and maintain its political cohesion without US military support is therefore debatable. Notwithstanding the EU's achievements and other peace-promoting developments in Europe, the challenges and uncertainties that would face Europe without NATO argue that the alliance remains an essential underpinning of political order in Europe. Indeed, NATO continues to serve as an indispensable basis for pursuing constructive policies throughout the Euro-Atlantic region, notably in relations with Russia and Ukraine. Moreover, the alliance can serve as a key element in the