The sad events in Bosnia, the march of folly in Africa, and the continuing violence along the edges of the former Soviet Union sometimes obscure the towering and positive international events of our time: the end of the Soviet Empire and of East-West divisions in Europe. But it should no be surprising that the fall of the Berlin Wall and the rapid collapse of communist regimes across Eastern Europe have reopened a host of questions about U.S. national interests and the relevance of existing security structures and institutions. For the United States, for NATO, and the former Warsaw Pact nations, there is neither precedent nor natural order to fall back upon now that the familiar certainties of cold war rivalries have been removed. Threats to security surely exist, but their nature is obscure and unpredictable. In fact, after the massive failure to anticipate the end of the Soviet system, we have reason to question our ability to know exactly what it is we should fear, let alone how to protect it.
In this book, Jonathan Dean addresses a number of key questions and issues confronting policymakers today, including America’s precise interests in Europe, the outlook for the evolution of the security relationship between the United States and Europe, the future of NATO, and the role of nuclear weapons in the new European security system. He provides us with a road map for the near-term development of European security,. His research, analysis, and advice should be welcomed by all those who are in American policymaking circles who recognized what an immense stake we have in the successful reconstruction of a secure set of arrangements in Europe.
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