German-American relations after the last Gulf War 2003 :: essays research papers

German-American relations after the last Gulf War 2003 There is hope for a future rapprochement between Germany and the USA. The relationships to the USA, since 1949 a leading part of the German foreign politics, deteriorated enormously and in March/April 2003 they hit an all-time low since the end of the Second World War. The administration of George W. Bush considered a military attack on the regime of the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein as an important component for the struggle against the terrorism. The German Federal Government considered the war as an unjustified diversion of the conflict with the terror organization Al-Qaida. The intensity and duration of the German-American annoyance in the course of the conflict in Iraq was surprising against the background of a close political cooperation between the two nations over 40 years. Germany made good experiences with the transatlantic relationship in the past. We share the same basic values and we have a similar understanding of representative democracy, human rights, constitutional state and market economy. In the time of the Cold War from 1949-1989 West Germany and the USA could be regarded as ideal cooperation partners because they followed the same aims with complementary capabilities. The interests of Bonn and Washington were the military protection of Western Europe against soviet attacks as well as the encouragement of democracy and market economy in Europe. The USA played a very important role for the German unification in 1989. The process of unification was not only a result of American support but encouraged the German-American relationship. However, with the end of the Cold War, Germany lost its important role it played for the US-foreign policies. In the 90Â ´s during the Balkan wars the power of the USA and the powerlessness of Europe became clearly expressed. All attempts of the European states to form a united policy on their own continent failed. They could not define a united policy. The USA were frustrated because they did not see in Europe a reliable partner for a security policy. The transatlantic annoyance over the war in Iraq was more than a difference of opinion over the best strategy in the struggle against international terrorism. The USA, a country with global security interests, view the thread of international acting terrorism organizations, which might possess weapons of wholesale destruction, with greater concern than European governments, including Germany. Instead of using military means, which they possess only in a limited way, the European governments strive for a legal attempt at conciliation by means of international organizations like the ONU and the international Criminal Court, ICC.