Mind the Gap: The United States, Europe and the Middle East

Dr Dassa Kaye argues that the instability emanating from the Middle East is probably the most critical security challenge facing the transatlantic alliance today, underscoring the need for more robust cooperation in this region. And yet, despite a variety of common interests, transatlantic division on Middle East policy is pervasive, historically the norm, and deeply embedded in respective strategic cultures. According to Dr Dassa Kaye the US and Europe need to recognize how and why their approaches to the region differ, and then work actively to cultivate a common strategic agenda and dialogue on key problems.

The issues raised by the author are on top of the foreign policy agenda?s on both sides of the Atlantic ocean, and are also highly relevant with a view to the current Dutch EU-presidency.

Dr Dalia Dassa Kaye, is a Fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations ( New York) based in The Hague.