ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the transatlantic relations that have rested on a foundation of common values, enhanced by two world wars in which the reward for victory was the rescue of democracy. It maintains that the most significant determinant of how far the European Union (EU) moves forward with its security plans is the extent to which the United States and the EU reach an agreement on values they want to pursue in common. The chapter explores the values of the United States and Europe possess in common to point out new departures. American elites and members of the US public speak of the common values that have been the glue of a transatlantic security relationship for over half a century. Over the past half-century, European integration has led to changing conceptions and behaviors in relation to the rule of law. The dichotomy of "hegemonic power" versus "shared power" more closely reflects the way Europeans understand the polar US-EU experiences.
