In this Policy Brief marking the inauguration of President Bush, Professor Malcolm Chalmers argues that Europeans can best promote US international engagement by themselves meeting more of the costs of international security. The report examines claims of ‘free-riding’ by providing the facts across burden-sharing regimes – from the US’s unparalleled military might to Europe’s contributions to peacekeeping, development aid, multilateral institutions and tackling global warming. Chalmers argues that Europe should seek to reshape the transatlantic debate by focusing less on US shortcomings and more on meeting its own responsibilities. He sets out the constructive European agenda which – through concrete reform on European security, multilateral reform and development – could reshape the transatlantic debate and create a more effective division of international labour.
[The full text is online here]