Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book begins with an identification of the conceptual approach to understanding the process of change. It examines the Europeanization process within the Alliance from a conceptual point of view. The book examines the dynamics of the triangular relations between London, Bonn and Paris in the 1980s in the security field. It addresses the kind of Europeanization which emerged in the 1980s via bilateral cooperation among the three sides of the European security triangle. The book focuses on the changing role of nuclear weapons within the Alliance. The book identifies the main elements of the Bush Administration's rethinking about American defense policy. It analyzes the Franco-German dynamic and its impact on the future of the Alliance. The book explores the features of the new European security situation and the impact of that situation on the United States and the Soviet Union.