ABSTRACT
The Western European Union (WEU) has suffered from being an actor caught in the ebb and flow of a debate between two larger organisations, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the European Community/European Union. The WEU acted as a useful symbol of that contribution on such occasions as the 1987 Gulf naval operation. In 1990, the WEU was brought to a crossroads. Through the creation of a Common Foreign and Security Policy and the subordination of the WEU to the European Council, they sought the eventual collapse of the WEU into the EU. The Alliance retained the right to choose whether to lead in a crisis and the Europeans acknowledged their dependency on the North Atlantic Council for the release of assets. A minimalist vision for the WEU would see it continuing as a forum for consultation between its members, thereby ensuring that European views are represented in all NATO's decisions.
