Risky Trends in Transatlantic Relations Part I

PRISM / FISA; Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement; US Domestic and FP; situation in Syria; drones

Risky Transatlantic Trends Part I

Risky Trends in Transatlantic Relations Part II

Prism / FISA, TFTA, Drones, situation in Syria, erosion of credibility of US

Risky Trends in Transatlantic Relations Part II

Risky Tends in Transatlantic Relations Part III

PRISM / FISA; TFTA; US FP; Disappointment in America and / or Obama?

Risky Trends in Transatlantic Relatons Part III

Conference paper: 'End of Post WWII Security Structure?' Annual Conference, European Consortium for Political Research, Bordeaux, France, September 4-7, 2013

Paper Presenter:

Michaela Hertkorn

Abstract:

The last 15 years have seen America's leadership capacity shrinking due to the legacy of the Bush administration, but also the state of domestic politics (increase in unemployment, tuition, social injustice, violence). The fall-out of the global financial crisis and, natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy seem to have revealed how vulnerable the supposed 'superpower' has become, more than 12 years after 9/11, and following two failed wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. What are the prospects of the second Obama administration to adjust some of the aspect of US foreign and security policy? With geo-politics seemingly 'alive and kicking' and new front lines erupting as 'blow back' for earlier wars, now (from Libya to Syria to Mali), what are the challenges for the North Atlantic security alliance and the European foreign and security policy? Can Europe afford more neo-imperial endeavors? Are the security issues at hand in North Africa, the Maghreb and the wider Middle East more of a geo-political or 'terrorism' nature? With austerity creating havoc in Southern Europe, why should the citizens of the European Union be willing to support more risky military interventions while their own socio-economic welfare is at risk and long-term stability has nowhere been created in places such as Afghanistan or Libya? Geo-political and energy interests between the US and some of its European allies, such as Germany seem to differ or be competing, at least on some front lines: is the very Euro-Atlantic security architecture that was created following WWII, coming to an end?

http://www.ecpr.eu/Events/PanelList.aspx?EventID=5&SectionID=61

Talk / Discussion regarding ongoing 'De-Construction of Europe'

http://www.daz.org/Veranstaltungen.html

Donnerstag, 13. Juni, 19.00 Uhr / Thursday, June 13th, 2013, 7 pm - German American Center (DAZ)
Dynamics in Transatlantic Security: Trends in U.S. Foreign Policy and Europe’s De-Construction 
Lecture by Dr. Michaela Hertkorn, Stuttgart
With President Obama’s second term unfolding, Europeans are still facing one crucial question: Quo vadis U.S. foreign and security policy? Whereas Obama emphasized the relevance of so-called “soft power” at the beginning of his first term, the reality of a drone-wielding President does not quite seem to match the rhetoric. While Europe has been struggling with its own financial and economic crisis since 2008, the lack of credibility in American leadership given U.S. domestic politics and the fall-out from two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has had an effect on European allies in EU and NATO, too. On which issues of global relevance should Europeans and the U.S. work together? How can this best be done in times of austerity and the arguable divergence of interests among allies? Political scientist Dr. Michaela Hertkorn will address these questions in her lecture. – In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Europa Zentrum Baden-Württemberg. – Eintritt 5 Euro, ermäßigt 3 Euro, DAZ-Mitglieder frei.