Shift or Rift: assessing US-EU relationships after Iraq

The idea behind this transatlantic book predates the intense transatlantic exchanges that took place prior to the war in Iraq in early 2003. The run-up to the passage of UN Resolution 1441 in November 2002 provided clear indications that Euro-American relations were about to enter previously uncharted territory.

Given these developments, the Institute decided to produce an extensive study analysing the state of transatlantic relations. For each topic, two authors – one American and one European – were commissioned to provide their thoughts and insights. The result is twelve distinct chapters covering six diverse topics. The book provides both a general overview of US-European relations and investigates specific issue areas through case studies. The diversity on the American side is particularly great, with five different institutions represented among the authors. On the European side, contributions come from the multinational research team at the EU Institute for Security Studies. This book should be of interest to policy-makers, analysts in academia, and research institutes concerned with EU-US relations. With transatlantic relations at a crossroads, near-term developments will be critical for determining the future direction of the partnership. A lively alliance with America could be as likely as a widening gap between the two partners. This book attempts to shed light on these potential evolutions – aiming to contribute to the overall policy debate presently taking place.