ABSTRACT
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) creates the goal of providing an American-led defence against the Soviet menace to Western Europe. The immediate post-World War II years were characterized by great uncertainty about what follows the division of Europe. The Korean War, however, signalled the first shift in emphasis from Old Europe to New Asia. Important in this connection is the fact that Nicolas Sarkozy is pro-American, particularly when his policies are compared with those of his predecessor Jacques Chirac. The fact that NATO has lost its bearings is no surprise. The last two decades have reinforced the European nationalist's ranks, while in the 1960s France was their only standard-bearer. Self-interest has taken the upper ground not only among the original EU members of the Alliance, but also in the new accession countries in Eastern Europe. The general trend now is towards self-interest even if this desire for national independence.
