Conclusions

Abstract

The authors of this book are in little doubt that the question of security cooperation in Western Europe is of very great political, economic and military importance both to Europe itself and the the Atlantic Alliance as a whole. In their contributions they also sense that there is today a conjunction of circumstances, pressures and constraints which makes greater defence cooperation not only possible but imperative. In the past, when such ideas were mooted the ultimate stimulus was lacking. If international threats were frightening they appeared to be manageable, predominantly by American nuclear power; or alternatively, better East-West relations seemed to offer promises of the threats diminishing. In either case, uncomfortable decisions could be dodged or deferred, and dissension and distrust between West European states themselves tended in any case to get in the way of any moves towards integration.