The September 11 attacks have, further to their immediate impact, acted as a pointer to and a catalyst for the long-term trends relating to the history of NATO. Prior to their occurence, in effect, there was a paradoxical situation. In the one hand, ten years after the fall of the Soviet Union, NATO seemed to have been reworked to last: its role as guarantor of European security had been reaffirmed, its first round of enlargment had been a success, and crisis had raised once again the prospect of a Euro-American 'decoupling', in terms of values and interests of the various allies. As a result, a new, major transatlantic debate had been launched even before the attacks. It encompassed the redefinition of threats, management of a number of conflicts, particularly in the Near-East, and on the internal balances of the Alliance - the relaunching of ESDP emerging to balance, after Saint-Malo and George W. Bush's election- the reassertion of Americain unilateralism. But following September 11, these issues lost their relevance. Now, three new scenarios must be examined: a recasting of NATO for the fight against terrorism, a transatlantic divorce in the face of this undertaking and a new Euro-US strategic partnership in a reformed Alliance.

This content is published in French - La relation transatlantique et la "longue" guerre contre le terrorisme