European powers and the Atlantic Alliance

Abstract

The article analyses the policies of Great Britain, France, and Germany in relation to the Atlantic Alliance. Two central questions are ashed. Firstly, why did the Atlantic Alliance survive the end of the cold war? Secondly, how did these three European powers act during the Atlantic Alliance's adjustment to the new European political context? In reply to the first question, it is concluded that the three European powers consider the maintenance of the Atlantic Alliance vital for regional security. For Bonn, Paris, and London the collapse of NATO would seriously prejudice the «democratic peace» which has been built in western Europe since 1945. The reply to the second question is not so clear. On the one hand, the common interest in maintaining the Atlantic Alliance forces the three European powers to take part in the reform of the organisation. On the other hand, opposing strategic cultures and differing views on the future regional security order prevent a more active collaboration between the «three» to define the role of the Atlantic Alliance within the European political order.