ABSTRACT
Building a serious European security and defence capability would benefit not only Europe's own security, but it would also permit the United States to put its own house in order and re-focus its attention and resources more upon its own domestic and foreign policy. Jan Zielonka points out a perhaps more fundamental contradiction in the European approach to concerted foreign and security policy which will need to be overcome, if Europe is to achieve greater unity in its political-and military decision-making processes. JohnIkenberry's challenge to traditional neo-realist thinking becomes relevant. He argues that the Euro-Atlantic community can be made more durable if it is held together not just by interests, but by a new common identity that is strengthened by conjoint and renewed, institutions. This means that both Europe and the United States must "continuously act to construct common identity".
