ABSTRACT
Unlike the experiences of Alfonsin and Menem, the national context during the Nestor Kirchners' administrations provided a fertile ground for the adoption of the Standard Security Model (SSM). On the political front, Kirchner deepened Menem's strategy aimed at concentrating power in the hands of the executive. Argentina's bilateral relations with the US began to change with the arrival of Nestor Kirchner. As Arnson and Taraciuk point out, Kirchner developed a firm foreign policy, confronting the George W. Bush administration in certain issues of the agenda. According to Tussie, the national government was aware that confronting the US on issues such as terrorism was unwise, although it was not willing to compromise on other subjects that were considered a priority for Argentina's foreign policy. Despite the national government's rhetoric attacks against the US and the South American country's soft balancing strategy at the multilateral system, Argentina's cooperation with Washington's counter-narcotics agencies persisted.
