Why Is Post-Conflict Rehabilitation Important for Preserving and Developing Transatlantic Relations

Abstract

Preserving and developing transatlantic relations has proved to be an indispensable tool for handling the various challenges of global international relations, both in the past century and in the first years of the present one. The attraction of membership in NATO for countries that are still undergoing the process of post-conflict rehabilitation activities, the accession of new members to the Alliance from the former Soviet bloc, the examples of vitality and institutional modernization by the North Atlantic organization itself are significant arguments in this direction. Whatever the differences within the transatlantic community have been in the past and are at present, preserving and developing relations between Europe and North America have no substitute in terms of guaranteeing the democratic trends and stability in the world. There are allies, partners, friends of the transatlantic community, but they do not play a substitute role in promoting the progress of human civilization. Making the world safe for global economic activity, a place where human rights and dignity matter, is the heart of the transatlantic philosophy and construct. Post-conflict rehabilitation activity is just one of the areas that has a crucial stake in keeping and upgrading the transatlantic relationship. However, it is becoming ever more important. First, the need for effectiveness in international security relations shows that the durability of peace after intra-state or inter-state conflicts is linked not just to an efficient peace-enforcing and peacekeeping operation, but also to the level of democratization of the conflict-stricken societies, to the success of the institution-building process, security sector reform, disarmament of the conflicting sides, the return of refugees, and to the social and economic progress that is made after the end of the hostilities. All these activities are becoming already part of a forward-directed approach to conflict prevention. Both Europe and North America are interested in effective conflict-prevention results. Is there a single government of the transatlantic region today that is not interested in the success of the post-conflict rehabilitation efforts of the Coalition Forces in Iraq, including the creation of a secure environment in this country and in the region of the Greater Middle East? It is certain that no country of the transatlantic community would profit from the degradation of the situation in Iraq, but all will succeed if stability and economic vitality are restored. One of the important lessons of the Balkan post-conflict rehabilitation process has been that success would not have been possible without a working transatlantic cooperation mechanism. Second, in the wake of conflict, war-torn societies are an especially attractive potential milieu for promoting and creating terrorist activity. Resolute steps toward rehabilitating these societies should prevent this from happening or intensifying. It would