Transatlantic security relations after the Iraq crisis : a focus on Iran

Abstract

The first years of the 21st century will be remembered as a time of crisis for transatlantic relations. The American decision to invade Iraq caused a deep rift across the Atlantic and among European states. From the deep solidarity in the aftermath of 9/11 to the animosity surrounding what to with Iraq - this short period was probably the lowest point in the history of transatlantic relations. However it was not the first crisis to hit US-European relations. Since its inception the transatlantic alliance lived through moments of crisis that put at risk the integrity and existence of the alliance. This dissertation will be divided in three parts. The first part will provide a historical and theoretical analysis of the causes and consequences of the crisis. The recent Iraqi crisis will be the point of departure of this dissertation. In the aftermath of the Iraq crisis, Iran appeared to be another test for the transatlantic bond and an excellent case to study the impact of the Iraqi crisis. The Iranian nuclear issue since 2003 did not offer the same scenario seen previously with Iraq. To a certain extent, Europe and the US remained united in front of this new common security threat. Differences still exist on how to interpret the Iran's alleged quest for nuclear weapons, mainly being on which strategies should be employed to deal with the issue. The central part of the dissertation will thus analyze transatlantic relations with Iran on two main security issues; terrorism and nuclear proliferation. An important event occurred in the last few months for transatlantic relations. The change in the American administration brought high expectations on the two sides of the Atlantic to start a fresh page of transatlantic relations. Many hope that the change in the US presidency will bring to an end a turbulent era in the history of transatlantic relations, and the start of a new beginning. Expectations are running high in Europe for a new American foreign policy vision that will change the world and its relations with Europe. Managing these expectations and exploiting the momentum for renewing the transatlantic alliance is the greatest challenge facing Europe and the US. The last part will thus focus on what Europe and the US expect from each other for this new era of transatlantic relations and how NATO and the transatlantic alliance should adapt to meet the security needs of the 21st century.