Mark M. Nelson, “Transatlantic Travails,” Issue #92, fall 1993.
“Transatlantic Travails” is an article written by Mark M. Nelson in 1993. Since the beginning the title let us know that this text is about the foreign relations between the U.S. and the European Community (EC) today’s European Union (EU). He analyses their relationship since the World War II to 1993. He gives us the point of view that the Europeans had towards the U.S. and vice versa.
Since the beginning we learn that the U.S. and the (EC) are getting apart. These two powers have suffered plenty of trouble throughout their history. Europe has made impressive efforts in building the (EC), as an alternative to organize their future in a common way. But they still having a long way to complete, and needs the involvement of America. After the World War II, Europe was economically weak and integrating the eastern half into a peaceable Europe is a big task. The collapse of the European Monetary System showed how uncoordinated the economies of the European countries are. This caused a big crisis inside the (EC); the U.S. is losing its interests of a European integration. The Marshall Plan was an American commitment to cooperate in the rebuilding of Europe. The integration of Europe was the central element of their alliance. But the American view toward the (EC) changed, they saw the birth of a bigger competitor ready to compete against America. However we can see that this point of view is not new at all; Alexander Hamilton wrote in the Federalists: “One great American system, superior to the control of all transatlantic force or influence, and able to dictate the terms of the connection between the old and the new world”. So, instead of accepting the past differences between America and Europe, there is resentment and tension. Those same sentiments are surging after the Cold War, were American wants Europe and Japan to take some responsibilities and Europe does not care about them. America feels that Europe has acted for its own interest and that is ruining their partnership.
Europeans are having problems adjusting to an indifferent America. Europeans are very dependant on Americans, and example is that they have always relied on American logistics. Americans created a European population that does not know how to craft its own foreign policy. Europeans cannot act in their own they need America, but America is indifferent to them.
Despite their support for European integration, America is feeling frustrated about the (EC). America thinks the Maastricht Treaty is a part of the Cold War, the (EC) should have looked for equality and reached out its eastern neighbors. The Treasury Department did not agree with the Maastricht Treaty negotiations. The treaty approved elements that seemed contradictory to the U.S. interests; e.g. “the treaty leaves unclear which players in the monetary union process—the European Central Bank or the EC Council of finance ministers will be responsible for exchange rate policy toward foreign currencies. The U.S. departments of State and Defense reflected a distrust of the EC. U.S. opposed French and German proposal to give the European Council a role in defense decisions. They opposed because the EC could take defense decisions without American advise. In response to U.S., British and Dutch complains the EC promised that the Western European Union (WEU) would have consultation with NATO. French and German developed the Eurocorps a military organization that was open to the EC members. But these made the Europeans think about the Eurocorps subordinate relationship to NATO: “no form of military coordination among the EC states was acceptable to the U.S.” Letting Europeans act outside NATO will undermine American support for the Alliance.
So, after the Cold War Europeans could not do anything just be dependent on their American military partner that is indifferent to them. However Clinton’s administration supported a independent European defense identity, but this still just words. The problem is also that Europe’s ability to respond to threats is reduced by its economy. In addition the U.S. and the (EC) confront each other on trade matters. Here we have some numbers about their trade relationship: “Americans and Europeans exchange some $1 trillion a year in two-way trade of goods, services, and investments. The American share of that accounts for a tenth of total annual U.S. output. The EC is home to 40 percent of U.S. foreign investment, and the EC provides more than 3 million U.S. based jobs”. Despite their confrontations their partnership in free trade is very healthy.
The attitude of America toward the EC has changed; America wants to share the price of global leadership, but is really jealous of its position of the only superpower. The U.S. does not want any competition from the U.S. they want to remain alone However the EC has a long way to continue, the EC is very far from becoming the world’s superpower. The role of the U.S. does not have to cease it just has to change. The EC’s most important task is to break its own rigid policies that come from “jealous national governments and power hungry EC institutions. We know that those troubles can multiply as the EC expand its membership over the barriers of the Cold War. The EC has to develop a more federal structure. In addition the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Uruguay Round shows how the insufficient structure of the EC can hurt its partners such as the U.S. The U.S. has to promote a community by making sure that its own policies are not limiting the EC’s advances. America has to expand its relationships from the Commission and Council of Ministers to the European Parliament. Americans will not get anything from a relationship with an ineffective Europe; but it would support a partner that works with them in mutual goals. The U.S. and The EC should work together on global environment, creating development in the southern hemisphere, work on tax proposals. The EC needs to work on the integration of Eastern and Central Europe, because if undeveloped countries join the EC it would cause an economic crisis. The U.S and the EC also need to agree on a defense system for Western Europe. In addition the U.S. has to push EC countries to share a single seat in the United Nations Security Council..
Summary by Francisco Martinez