Synopses & Reviews
An incisive new analysis of transatlantic security cooperation, probing the roots as well as the future directions of this key relationship in world affairs.
Since the 1990s, this cooperation has expanded from traditional military security issues into countering terrorism, international organized crime and drug trafficking. This has injected new impetus into transatlantic relations to work together on matters such as intelligence sharing and law enforcement. The events of September 11th 2001 have forced these new patterns of cooperation to the forefront of transatlantic relations.
While progress has been made, developing this area of cooperation has been more difficult than expected and this book examines the reasons why. The author argues that many of the difficulties are due to different approaches on either side of the Atlantic and the absence of a dedicated transatlantic security forum in which these issues could be pursued. Furthermore, European nations have been preoccupied with the building of the European Union and have been both reluctant and unable to enter into special patterns of cooperation with the US.
Synopsis
The events of 9/11 brought the subject of international terrorism to the top of the global security agenda. This new book focuses on the way that the transatlantic allies have sought to combat international terrorism.
Since the end of the Cold War, Europe and the United States have adapted the security regime that proved so effective in ensuring peace on the continent. Transatlantic counter-terrorism cooperation has required the full range of international instruments: from the use of military force and intelligence sharing to novel forms of working together such as over law enforcement and border security.
Wyn Rees traces the development of transatlantic security relations, focussing on key issues such as:
- The US-led War on Terrorism and whether it has resulted in convergence or divergence in US and European policies towards combating terrorism.
- The importance of transatlantic organizations in channelling efforts to deal with the threat.
- The pressure for both internal and external security cooperation in transatlantic relations.
- The tensions and challenges that emanate from attempting to generate cooperation between unequal state actors.
This text will greatly interest students and scholars of International Relations, International Security and Transatlantic Relations.