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- Author: Stanley R. Sloan x
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This book is an interpretive history of transatlantic security from the negotiation of the North Atlantic Treaty in 1948–1949 to the turbulence created by President Trump, British departure from the European Union (Brexit) and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The book concludes with analyses of possible futures for the West and observes “the most disruptive force of all has been the American presidency of Donald J. Trump. Trump refused to accept virtually all the political and strategic assumptions on which transatlantic political, economic, financial, and security relations have been based for 70 years. And, given the transatlantic alliance’s heavy reliance on American leadership and involvement, Trump’s lack of commitment has placed huge question marks over the West’s future.”
The West of which we speak is defined by the values of liberal democracy, individual freedom, human rights, tolerance and equality under the rule of law. This book explores how Islamist terror and Russian aggression as companion threats to the West when terrorists target Russia as well as the United States and its allies. The threats posed by Islamist terror and Russian aggression present themselves in very different ways. In the time of transatlantic traumas, the Islamist terrorist threat and the Russian threat have worked diligently and with some success. The book examines the hatred of Islamists towards Western democracies, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union for their involvement in the Middle East politics for several decades. There is no single explanation for the rising popularity of illiberalism in the Western democracies; a combination of factors has produced a general sense of malaise. The book discusses the sources of discontent prevailing in the Western countries, and looks at the rise of Trumpism, Turkey and its Western values as well as the domestic tensions between Turkey's political parties. It suggests a radical centrist populist Western strategy could be applied to deal with the threats and challenges, reinvigorating the Western system. The book also touches upon suggestions relating to illiberalism in Europe, Turkey's drift away from the West, and the Brexit referendum.
The West of which we speak is defined by the values of liberal democracy, individual freedom, human rights, tolerance and equality under the rule of law. Donald Trump's formulation threatens to close the door of the West to those of different cultures, faiths and traditions who, while differing in many ways, nonetheless accept and practice Western values. This concept of the West has been shaped largely since the end of World War II. . The transatlantic traumas of 2016 and 2017 have put the West in jeopardy. The combination of external threats from Russia, disruptive radical Islamist terror and internal weaknesses in Western social, economic and political systems has formed a perfect storm. That storm endangers the security of Western democracies and the values that have shaped the West since the end of the War.
There is no single explanation for the rising popularity of illiberalism in the Western democracies; a combination of factors has produced a general sense of malaise. This chapter highlights the sources of discontent prevailing in the Western countries such as the 2008 Great Depression and the inflow of refugees from the Middle East. It looks at the rise of Trumpism and the reasons of his victory in the 216 US elections and discusses the rise of populist radical right in several European countries: France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland. The surge of refugees from the war-torn Middle East has put dramatic new focus on the existing concerns related to visa-free movement of people inside the EU's Schengen zone. Many Eastern Europeans are dissatisfied not only with the post-communist transformation, but also with immigrants.
If Brexit was a shock for transatlantic relations, the election victory of Donald Trump was a tsunami, arguably jeopardizing nearly seventy years of transatlantic commitments, political assumptions and security cooperation. This chapter examines the psychological profile of Trump that apparently lies behind virtually every policy utterance, speech or, yes, tweet on the subject. It surveys the contemporary record of Trump after providing a brief comparative historical note on the US participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Trump's position of NATO before his election came from his largely profit-oriented, transactional point of view that underlies the "America First" appeal to his base of support. The chapter discusses Trump's policies on NATO after he assumed office and the turmoil felt by NATO at its May 2017 Brussels meeting and the subsequent G7 meeting. It also addresses the issue of whether the US is abdicating leadership of the West.
Illiberalism has not yet brought the West to the brink of collapse. This chapter provides suggestions about how a radical centrist populist Western strategy could be applied to deal with the threats and challenges, reinvigorating the Western system. Radical centrist populists should promote creative and constructive approaches as important tools for reducing the future threat of Islamist terrorism. While it is critically important for the United States to remain actively involved in NATO's defenses against Russian threats, Europeans can also take steps to maintain transatlantic values and cooperation while they are being questioned in Washington. The chapter also touches upon other suggestions relating to illiberalism in Europe, Turkey's drift away from the West, and the Brexit referendum. A key goal of those Americans who believe in Western values should be to protect freedom of the press unlike President Trump's assault of press sources that do not support his goals.
In the time of transatlantic traumas, the Islamist terrorist threat and the Russian threat have worked diligently and with some success. This chapter analyses how did these threats develop. It provides the answers for the hatred of Islamists towards Western democracies, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) for their involvement in the Middle East politics for several decades. The chapter also looks into the internal divisions in Islam, the Sunni and Shia factions, and the conflicts between them which has given rise to turmoil in the Middle East and fleeing of refugees to other countries. It examines the NATO and EU responses to the refugees problem and explains that the Islamist and Russian threats converge in Syria, which had been a Soviet ally since 1956.
As a member of NATO since 1952, Turkey should value Western ideals and, indeed, millions of its citizens do. However, the April 2017 Constitutional referendum has given President Recep Tayyip Erdogan more power to the presidency; the referendum is seen by many as the first step toward the creation of a Putin-style regime under Erdogan's control. This chapter examines whether and how the West can encourage Turkey to hold to Western values while continuing to serve significant alliance interests in the region. It looks at Turkey's shifting external alignments, as seen by the nations pursuit of closer working relationships with Russia and Islamic nations, including Iran. The chapter discusses the domestic tensions between Turkey's political parties, and focuses on 2016 purges as the tipping point of the country's drift away from the West. Four-plus months after the purges began, the European Union parliament formally adjourned its membership discussions with Turkey.
The 2016 referendum favoring by a close margin British departure from the European Union (EU) was a shock to British politics and to the EU. But it also created uncertainties affecting transatlantic relations, international affairs and the future of the West more generally. This chapter deals with the shocking Brexit referendum by focusing on its expectations, surprises and consequences. While pollsters predicted a "Remain" triumph, it was a surprise that the "Leave" finally won, albeit by only 3.78 percent. The chapter looks at Britain's half-hearted European convictions, highlighted by the country's refusal to join the Schengen zone and the Eurozone monetary union. It examines the UK party politics over the debate to remain or leave the EU and the rise of Nigel Farage's United Kingdom Independence Party. The Brexit vote had a major impact on the UK's future financial, economic and political health and its international commitments and influence.
The first chapter presents a definition of the context for the book, examining the origins and meaning of the “transatlantic bargain” and how the transatlantic alliance fits into various approaches to alliance theory. It then looks at the many aspects and roles of the alliance that have evolved over more than seven decades.