ABSTRACT
NATO has successfully weathered 35 years. Nothing is permanent, but in the turbulent world of international politics the Alliance remains a symbol of stability and a reminder that not all is subject to change. Midway through its fourth decade, it is clear that the trans-Atlantic partnership will endure because of geopolitical imperatives and abiding cultural and political ties. To be sure, such an assessment reaffirms much of the conventional wisdom about NATO. This survey of European security and the state of the Alliance reveals that most emerging and enduring political differences within the Alliance can be managed by careful consultation and consensus-building among and within member states. Nonetheless, European and American differences on several critical issues are quite pronounced. Finding a common ground on these issues will be the major challenge to Alliance solidarity in the coming decade.
