The EU and US: Friends or Rivals?

Abstract

The Iraq war exposed deep divisions within Europe and across the Atlantic. Donald Rumsfeld coined the description of the ‘old’ Europe versus the ‘new’ Europe and for the first time there were senior figures in the US administration doubting whether a strong, united European voice was in the interests of America. Even before Iraq there were increasing divisions between the EU and US covering the UN, the international criminal court, Kyoto, a number of arms control treaties as well as a plethora of trade disputes. In addition, the growing social differences with regard to religion, gun control, the death penalty and health care have led to many to doubt whether one can still talk of ‘common values’ across the Atlantic. There are also those who argue that the US has lost interest in the strategic importance of Europe as a result of the global war on terrorism.