ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that in an attempt to keep up appearances as a medium-rank power, the British government has avoided a radical reexamination of its defense posture. It demonstrates that one paradox of London's policy is that avoiding radical restructuring of the Alliance in 1991 makes another phase of institutional restructuring not only more inevitable but also far more radical. The chapter considers developments in the period between November 1989 and July 1992. It summarizes the major features of the British defense debate in the 1980s and discusses the British reaction to events in 1989/90. The chapter examines the negotiations in North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Community, and Western European Union from a British perspective. It discusses the first period of consolidation between December 1991 and June 1992, culminating in the Helsinki Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe and examines the future direction of the security and defense debate in Britain.
