This is an important collaborative project between CSIS, the Atlantic Council, Center For Technology and Nat'l Policy-NDU, and the Center For Transatlantic Relations-John Hopkins Univ. and SAIS.
Alliance Reborn: An Atlantic Compact For The 21st Century- The Atlantic Council
"We have an open but fleeting moment to forge a more effective Atlantic partnership. We must seize it now. European and North American allies have allowed their relations to become discordant, yet the times demand vigor and unity. Courageous decisions need to be taken to breathe new life and relevance into the Atlantic partnership, which must be recast to tackle a diverse range of serious challenges at home and abroad.
Reaching consensus on long term strategy should be of high priority. Leaders should go beyond providing direction to the NATO institution and take a higher plane, charting in an Atlantic Compact the future of their partnership in ways that relate the security, prosperity and freedom of their people and their nations to the world as a whole.
Executive Summary
I. A 21st Century Atlantic Partnership
With the Cold War over and new powers rising, some argue that the transatlantic partnership has had its day. We disagree. Our achievements may not always match our aspirations, but the common body of accumulated principles, norms, rules and procedures we have built and accumulated together – in essence, an acquis Atlantique – affirms the basic expectations we have for ourselves and for each other.
For sixty years this foundation has made the transatlantic relationship the world’s transformative partnership. North America’s relationship with Europe enables each of us to achieve goals together that neither can alone – for ourselves and for the world. This still distinguishes our relationship: when we agree, we are usually the core of any effective global coalition. When we disagree, no global coalition is likely to be very effective.
Our partnership remains as vital as in the past, but now we must focus on a new agenda. Today’s strategic environment is complex and unpredictable. North America and Europe still face the menace of terrorism and the potential for conflict between major states. Yet a host of unorthodox challenges demand our urgent attention.
These challenges require us to affirm our mutual defense commitment within a wider spectrum of security; reposition our key institutions and mechanisms, particularly U.S.-EU partnership and NATO; and connect better with other partners.
Five strategic priorities loom large. Together, Europe and North America must
tackle immediate economic challenges while positioning economies for the future; build transatlantic resilience – protect our connectedness, not just our territory; address the full range of international security challenges we face together; continue to work toward a Europe whole, free, and at peace with itself; reinvigorate transatlantic efforts to preserve a habitable planet.
NATO is indispensable yet insufficient to this agenda. A new U.S.-EU framework, anchored by a clause of mutual assistance, and other institutional innovations are needed. In a companion report we will address U.S.-EU partnership in greater detail."
Yes, there is more-much more just to the executive summary. The project itself is comprehensive and merits serious study by those interested in NATO's relevancy to our emerging requirements.
To that end, France is preparing for formal re-integration within NATO's command structure shortly. From Steve Erlanger-
Sarkozy Embraces NATO, And A Bigger Role For France-NYT
Alliance Reborn: An Atlantic Compact For The 21st Century- The Atlantic Council
"We have an open but fleeting moment to forge a more effective Atlantic partnership. We must seize it now. European and North American allies have allowed their relations to become discordant, yet the times demand vigor and unity. Courageous decisions need to be taken to breathe new life and relevance into the Atlantic partnership, which must be recast to tackle a diverse range of serious challenges at home and abroad.
Reaching consensus on long term strategy should be of high priority. Leaders should go beyond providing direction to the NATO institution and take a higher plane, charting in an Atlantic Compact the future of their partnership in ways that relate the security, prosperity and freedom of their people and their nations to the world as a whole.
Executive Summary
I. A 21st Century Atlantic Partnership
With the Cold War over and new powers rising, some argue that the transatlantic partnership has had its day. We disagree. Our achievements may not always match our aspirations, but the common body of accumulated principles, norms, rules and procedures we have built and accumulated together – in essence, an acquis Atlantique – affirms the basic expectations we have for ourselves and for each other.
For sixty years this foundation has made the transatlantic relationship the world’s transformative partnership. North America’s relationship with Europe enables each of us to achieve goals together that neither can alone – for ourselves and for the world. This still distinguishes our relationship: when we agree, we are usually the core of any effective global coalition. When we disagree, no global coalition is likely to be very effective.
Our partnership remains as vital as in the past, but now we must focus on a new agenda. Today’s strategic environment is complex and unpredictable. North America and Europe still face the menace of terrorism and the potential for conflict between major states. Yet a host of unorthodox challenges demand our urgent attention.
These challenges require us to affirm our mutual defense commitment within a wider spectrum of security; reposition our key institutions and mechanisms, particularly U.S.-EU partnership and NATO; and connect better with other partners.
Five strategic priorities loom large. Together, Europe and North America must
tackle immediate economic challenges while positioning economies for the future; build transatlantic resilience – protect our connectedness, not just our territory; address the full range of international security challenges we face together; continue to work toward a Europe whole, free, and at peace with itself; reinvigorate transatlantic efforts to preserve a habitable planet.
NATO is indispensable yet insufficient to this agenda. A new U.S.-EU framework, anchored by a clause of mutual assistance, and other institutional innovations are needed. In a companion report we will address U.S.-EU partnership in greater detail."
Yes, there is more-much more just to the executive summary. The project itself is comprehensive and merits serious study by those interested in NATO's relevancy to our emerging requirements.
To that end, France is preparing for formal re-integration within NATO's command structure shortly. From Steve Erlanger-
Sarkozy Embraces NATO, And A Bigger Role For France-NYT
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