Changes Of US-European Security And Defense Relations Post Cold War And Analysis On The Related Factors

The innumerable important international affairs since 90's of the 20th century including Iraq war express that the relationship between America and Western Europe post cold war is quite different from the one during the cold war. But in all territories of the two parties' relationship, the security and defense is undoubtedly a significant aspect, being the nature of core and base between the Atlantic relationship. Holding the development course of security and defense is equal to have a thorough knowledge of the two parties' entire relations. According to this background, this text basically elaborated the characteristics of security and defense relations between America and Europe during the cold war, emphasized the changes and related reasons, and then foresaw the development trend on the basis of analyzing several strategic security contradictions between the two parties.The first section primarily discussed the change stages and results of security and defense relationship after the cold war between America and Europe. The security and defense relationship was completely under the scope of the conflict between the eastern party and western party during the cold war. The arrangement of security and defense for Western Europe was completely in the inside frame of NATO despite some occasional disagreements. The end of cold war rigorously challenged the tradition that was based on NATO coalition and brought some relevant changes, which included the drop of defense relationship compared with economy relations and the growing divergence, etc.The evolution of security and defense relationship between America and Western Europe can be divided into three phrases regarding time. First for 90's of the 20th century, the common security of the two parties started suffering challenges, but mainly concentrated on the traditional and bilateral realm. Secondly is the century intersects, especially after Bush's government appearing on the stage, the security divergence made a breakthrough and concentrated on the strategic problems and global non-traditional problems because of the unilateral doctrine in foreign affairs for American government. Finally after"9·11"Event, the defense divergence started highlighting in new realms or increased new contents, consisting of different attitudes toward international anti-terrorism and "Islamic Treaten".That expressed that the security relationship on the base of NATO was confronted with further challenges.The second section emphasized several reasons for security changes after the cold war. The alternation of security environment and defense nature in Europe is the first reason. The end of cold war changed the political structure and security environment in Europe completely; causing the urgency of working together vanished. It caused U.S. might cut down the security obligation level in Western Europe in order to concentrate on superior benefits. Because of being in need of clear and definite safety threatens, whether the defense relationship across the Atlantic Ocean was the core to alliance came into being a question.The second reason refers to the swift development of European independent defense. Western Europe had to depend on the United States to defend itself for being no self-independence ability in the cold war. The European common defense speedily developed in the past few years after EU members realized the importance of independent defense. Both of the two parties had used different skills to reply to the measures from the counterpart on this point, which furthered the contradictions into a new phase.The third reason is the promotion of unilateral doctrine in arms control of the United States. The U.S. government exposed unilateral doctrine completely by withdrawing from the ABM and denying the approval of the CTBT. This inevitably brought negative effects to common security and confined further cooperation and development for the two parties.Finally is the comprehensive contradictions in other aspects. In recent years, the disputes between America and...