A Transatlantic Bargain for the 21st Century: The United States, Europe, and the Transatlantic Alliance

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization s NATO military operation in Libya in March 2011 reignited concerns over the health of the NATO Alliance that has underpinned transatlantic relations for over 60 years. As a decade of war and an era of economic austerity take their toll in both Europe and America, a consensus has begun to emerge on both sides of the Atlantic as to the need for a revised transatlantic bargain that can accommodate the fiscal and geopolitical realities of the 21st century. Dr. Ellen Hallams s monograph explores the nature of the bargain that has framed relations between the United States and its NATO allies, and considers what the terms of a revised bargain might be. Debate over a revised bargain raises many important questions What are the sources of Washington s frustration with the Alliance What are the implications of Washington s increasing focus on the Asia-Pacific for Europe and NATO What is the nature of Alliance burden sharing in the context of modern military operations In what ways can America s European allies and partners generate greater burden sharing Dr. Hallams proposes that a truly strategic partnership between the United States, NATO, and the European Union should be at the heart of a revised bargain, one that casts aside Cold War constructs and approaches transatlantic relations with a new maturity and pragmatism.