| January-February 2006
German-American Relations | US-Europe | European Union | NATO
F1- The United States Needs German Economic Leadership
Posen, Adam S.
Institute for International Economics, Policy Briefs In International
Economics. January 2006, #PB06-1, 5p.
According to Posen, Chancellor Merkel will find more opportunities
to realign transatlantic relations in the economic sphere than
on security issues. German-American foreign policy tensions over
the Iraq war have not spilled over into the economic relationship
but economic challenges remain that only intergovernmental policy
actions can resolve. Posen maintains that Germany must show take
a stronger stance in guiding the EU toward more liberal stances
and broader economic engagement. He concludes, "the Bush
administration certainly should, and probably would, welcome the
progress that German leadership could bring” – for example, to
the Doha Round, the reduction of agricultural subsidies, the coordination
of trade relations with China, and securing flows of international
investment. Adam S. Posen has been a senior fellow at the
Institute for International Economics since 1997. This policy
brief is based on his forthcoming book, Reform in a Rich Country:
Germany. Fulltext
F2 - After Schroeder: U.S.-German Relations in the Merkel
Era
Hulsman, John C. & Nile Gardiner
Heritage Foundation, January 11, 2006, Backgrounder #1907,
9p
The election of Angela Merkel provides the opportunity for greater
transatlantic cooperation in the war on terrorism and in international
efforts to address the growing threat from countries such as Iran
and Syria; the easing of tensions between Germany and the United
States do not, however “herald a fundamental transformation of
the U.S.–German relationship.” According to the authors, the
coalition nature of the Merkel government, public opinion in Germany
concerning the U.S., diverging attitudes on the role of transnational
institutions – these factors signify an ongoing shift and mean
that “the U.S. should work with Germany on an issue-by-issue basis,
cooperating with Berlin on matters of closely aligned common interests
but strongly opposing German policy in areas of disagreement.”
John C. Hulsman and Nile Gardiner are fellows in the Margaret
Thatcher Center for Freedom, a division of the Kathryn and Shelby
Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies, at The Heritage
Foundation. Fulltext
US-Europe
F3 - The United States, Germany and Europe: Building a Global
Agenda
Internationale Politik, Transatlantic Edition - Special Issue,
Feb.2006, online edition
On the occasion of Chancellor Merkel's visit to the United States
the journal INTERNATIONALE POLITIK (IP) has launched a special
issue dealing with the state of Transatlantic Relations and the
role of America in the world:
- F3a - Challenges of a Changing World:Why
It Is in America’s, Germany’s and Europe’s Interest to Renew
Their Alliance
Berger, Samuel R. , pp12-17
"The gravest threat that the world now faces is not US
unilateralism – as some Europeans seem to think – but militant
islamic jihadism. This new enemy threatens Europe and the United
States alike. This and other enormous global challenges must
be tackled together." Samuel R. Berger served as National
Security Adviser to President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001.
- F3b - The Indispensable Partnership: Germany,
Europe and America in the beginning of the 21st Century
Drozdiak, William, pp4-8
"Since the Berlin wall crumbled and Al-Qaeda attacked the
Twin Towers, the two sides of the Atlantic have been drifting
apart. Today they need to realize that by leveraging their resources,
ingenuity, and influence, the US and Europe can transform their
Cold War alliance into a new kind of global partnership that
is truly indispensable for a peaceful world order." William
Drozdiak is former foreign editor and chief European correspondent
for the Washington Post and is president of the American Council
on Germany.
- F3c - Transatlantic Defense Cooperation:
From An Industry Perspective
Crosby, Ralph, pp34-39
"With the fall of the Soviet empire, Europeans and Americans
lost their common enemy. Defense cooperation has been deteriorating
ever since. Due to shrinking European military budgets, the
transatlantic technology gap is widening. But there is still
much to gain from a close partnership." Ralph Crosby
is Chairman and CEO of EADS North America and a member of the
EADS Executive Committee. He is responsible for EADS activities
in the US, developing strategic partnerships with US companies.
- F3d- America in the World - A Realist’s
View
Speck, Ulrich, pp68-76
"As long as nation states hold the reigns, the
US is needed to manage the global order Traditional governance
by nation-states is becoming increasingly difficult in the globalized
world. However, despite alternatives, nation-states retain an
obdurate hold on the reins of global politics. As long as this
is the case, the world needs America to manage the global order."
Ulrich Speck is a free lance author and publisher.
- F3e - Return of a Benevolent Hegemony?
Rudolf, Peter, pp77-87
The United States is neither an empire nor a „weary
titan“, like Great Britain 100 years ago.There was a great deal
of talk in recent years about an American “empire,” an imperial
US foreign policy, even an “imperial overstretch” exposed by
the Iraq War. Catchy metaphors of this sort play an important
role in discussions about US foreign relations, not only in
the United States but also around the world. They obscure, however,
the true outlines of US foreign policy and what is primarily
at stake in the current US debate over self-image: namely, whether
the US remembers the foundations and logic of action of a liberal
and “benevolent” hegemony. Peter Rudolf, was research fellow
at Harvard University’s Center for Science and International
Affairs. He currently teaches Political Science at Free University
Berlin and is senior fellow at the German Institute for International
and Security Affairs (SWP), Berlin. Request articles
F4 - Constabulary Forces and Postconflict Transition:
The Euro-Atlantic Dimension
Armitage, David T. Jr. & Anne M. Moison
Strategic Forum,November 2005, #218, 8p.
“The authors examine the critical need for a new force to deal
with asymmetric and nontraditional enemies and fill the security
gap between the end of military combat and the start of restoration
of civil authority. Despite the overwhelming challenges, the US,
NATO, and EU face a unique opportunity to improve Transatlantic
relations and collaborate on addressing this security gap.”
David T. Armitage, Jr. is a visiting research fellow in the Institute
for National Strategic Studies (INSS) at the National Defense
University. Colonel Anne M. Moisan, USAS, is Chief of Staff of
the INS research Doctorate and a senior fellow. Fulltext
F5 - Working with the European Union
Lebl, Leslie S.
Orbis, Winter 2006, v50, #1, pp117-132
“The past year saw growing uncertainty about the future of the
European Union. Whether it becomes weaker or stronger, and whether
it acts as a global partner or competitor, the United States cannot
afford to ignore the EU. By understanding the different EU decision-making
processes for defense, foreign policy, counter-terrorism, and
economic issues, the United States can do a better job of advancing
its interests in Europe.” “Lebl, an experienced analyst of European
affairs, argues that the EU is here to stay and that the United
States both can and should advance its own national interests
by working more closely and more intelligently with that institution.”
Leslie S. Lebl is a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic
Council of the United States. Request
Article
F6 - Europe Inside Out
Niblett, Robin
Washington Quarterly, Winter 2005/2006, vol29, #1, pp41-59
"Six months after the French and Dutch rejections of the
European Union's constitutional treaty, "Europe is still
in shock," writes Niblett, Director of the Europe Program
and Executive Vice President at CSIS. In his analysis of recent
developments, he stresses that the economic importance of the
EU (25% of the world's GDP and 30% of foreign assistance) makes
it a vital player on the world stage, with considerable pressure
to be more engaged internationally. Despite the failure to ratify
the constitutional treaty, Niblett notes that EU member states
are taking a new approach by searching for new models of economic
organization that will meet their particular needs. However, they
realize that being politically detached on the world stage is
no longer a viable option. He concludes that the "opportunity
to change course lies in the hands of Europe's citizens and its
leaders, not in the words and institutional arrangements of its
constitutional treaty." Robin Niblett is director of
the Europe Program and executive vice president at CSIS.
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F7 - New Directions for Transatlantic Security Cooperation
Dobbins, James
Survival, Winter 2005, v47, #4, pp39–54
"Western armies are masters of the conventional battlefield,
but continue to have difficulty prevailing in unconventional conflict.
Yet unconventional missions, including peacekeeping, counterinsurgency,
counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism, are the only kind that
NATO or EU forces are likely to be collectively assigned for the
foreseeable future. These, then, should be the focus for NATO
and EU planning, training and equipping. While the UN is the cheapest,
most generally acceptable and often most effective instrument
for managing international military interventions, there is an
effective ceiling beyond which the UN will not suffice. The UN
does not do forced entries, and has never fielded more than about
20,000 troops in any single operation. Where these thresholds
must be surpassed, NATO, the EU or an ad hoc coalition will be
needed. Afghanistan is the next test for Western collective defence
efforts. Success there will require greater EU as well as NATO
engagement.” James Dobbins is Director of the International
Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation.
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