ABSTRACT
The United States has achieved most of the objectives it set for itself then; the Soviet Union is in deep crisis. For opposite reasons, both need a design for a journey from where they are to where they have never been. As Europe becomes politically unified and security concerns less dominant, the special advantage of the superpowers, their nuclear supremacy, will become less and less relevant to the political issues. The Bush administration has rightly resisted the effort to organize Europe around the fear of Germany. A policy of isolation would throw Germany back on its own resources. It would repeat historic tragedy of wandering between two worlds and disquieting both. Multiple concessions: Accepting the Soviet premise that Germany, the major threat to European security is likely to tempt the Soviets into seeking more ambitious goals than stability. In this manner, the Soviet Union would have used its weakness to achieve the hegemony over Europe that eluded it when it seemed strong.
