18 European Security & Defence 2015
Partner BSC 2015 United States of America
The leadership role of transatlantic partners (BSC/Ambassador John B. Emerson*) Complex global cross-
the UN charter are unachievable or out of date – a legacy
currents of conflict and crisis, trade and commerce, technolo-
of a postwar era not suited to our own.” Does it make more
gy and innovation, ethnicity and religion impact, and connect,
sense, he asked, to adhere to a belief that “power is a zero-
countries around the world; but in terms of diplomacy, there is
sum game; that might makes right; that strong states impose
a commonality that transatlantic partners share. In the second
their will on weaker ones; that the rights of individuals don’t
half of the 20 century, the United States and its European
matter?” Of course not; and the President then called for the
th
allies set an
kind of leadership that is
example for the
“strong enough to recognize
world. Together
that nations share common
we worked to
interests and people share a
promote the basic tenets of freedom and democracy.
“We must work together, through NATO, to leverage each other‘s strengths and capabilities.”
That constructi-
common humanity.” In the past, we have seen how this concept has worked; and over the course of just the past two years,
ve, cooperative,
we have seen it at work
and comprehensive commitment of the transatlantic partners
today. Transatlantic and other partners have responded, in a
to diplomacy is vital today – a diplomacy that balances both
coordinated and responsible fashion, to a series of complex
interests and values; a diplomacy that addresses present
global challenges – many of which did not even exist when
crises while maintaining a reliable, rules-based international
I arrived in Berlin as the U.S. Ambassador in the summer of
order; and a diplomacy that does not simply accept the cur-
2013.
rent state of affairs, but also tries to shape a more peaceful, prosperous, and just world.
Think about it: the Russian aggression in the Ukraine that challenges the rule of law that has been a hallmark of the
In his remarks to the UN General Assembly this year, Pre-
post-Cold War world; terrorism in the Mid-East that has me-
sident Obama discussed with fellow leaders how to respond
tastasized throughout northern Africa and Europe; the return
appropriately to the urgent challenges the world faces. “There
of the Taliban in certain parts of Afghanistan, a country that
are those,” he said, “who argue that the ideals enshrined in
values its transition to a free society where women now have the right to vote and girls have the opportunity to be educated; the threat of Ebola; the financial crisis in Greece; and the increasing tragedy of refugees and displaced persons in places like Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and elsewhere. Transatlantic partners embraced major leadership roles in every one of these cases, using diplomacy as our first and preferred tool. Yet in certain situations, wisdom dictates that we require intelligence and even military capabilities. New, multi-faceted security challenges mean we have more work to do; while at the same time, we confront
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
conflicting budget priorities. We
Steinmeier’s statements before their meeting in Berlin, October 22, 2015
must work together, through NATO,
to leverage each other’s strengths
Photo: U.S. Department of State