ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the traditional American perceptions or misperceptions of the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). It focuses specifically on the European Union (EU) and the institutional structures and decision–making procedures that support the pooling of economic, political, and military capabilities toward a common approach to foreign policy. The chapter discusses the European cooperation and unique capabilities designed specifically to wield soft power, while Part II of this book highlights several cases of these common policies and capabilities in action. A few highly publicized events have reinforced the idea that Europe still does not speak with one voice. The most glaring omission of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and later, the ESDP, was a common threat perception shared by every member state of the European Union. The Council adopted "A Secure Europe in a Better World", as the European Union's equivalent of a National Security Strategy in December of that year.
