Balancing Threat, Not Capabilities : European Defence Cooperation as Reformed Bandwagoning. / Dyson, Tom.
In: Contemporary Security Policy, Vol. 34, No. 2, 2013, p. 387-91.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate
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Balancing Threat, Not Capabilities : European Defence Cooperation as Reformed Bandwagoning. / Dyson, Tom.
In: Contemporary Security Policy, Vol. 34, No. 2, 2013, p. 387-91.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Balancing Threat, Not Capabilities
T2 - European Defence Cooperation as Reformed Bandwagoning
AU - Dyson, Tom
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Cladi and Locatelli’s conceptualisation of CSDP as an instance of bandwagoning on US power has significant analytical leverage; however, their analysis fails to outline an alternative systemic explanation to the balance of power. This contribution argues that European defence cooperation is best understood by using a Neoclassical Realist analysis that integrates the insights of Stephen Walt’s ‘balance of threat’ theory. Furthermore, it is argued that the analysis presented by Pohl neglects the role of the Atlantic Alliance in European security. In doing so, Pohl misses the nature of CSDP as the central element of the ‘reform’ of Western Europe’s Cold War bandwagoning on US power. One should not, therefore, expect CSDP operations to necessarily be about frustrating or helping US strategic objectives. CSDP is instead an institution that is designed primarily to meet security challenges within Europe’s geopolitical neighbourhood that the US is unwilling or unable to tackle.
AB - Cladi and Locatelli’s conceptualisation of CSDP as an instance of bandwagoning on US power has significant analytical leverage; however, their analysis fails to outline an alternative systemic explanation to the balance of power. This contribution argues that European defence cooperation is best understood by using a Neoclassical Realist analysis that integrates the insights of Stephen Walt’s ‘balance of threat’ theory. Furthermore, it is argued that the analysis presented by Pohl neglects the role of the Atlantic Alliance in European security. In doing so, Pohl misses the nature of CSDP as the central element of the ‘reform’ of Western Europe’s Cold War bandwagoning on US power. One should not, therefore, expect CSDP operations to necessarily be about frustrating or helping US strategic objectives. CSDP is instead an institution that is designed primarily to meet security challenges within Europe’s geopolitical neighbourhood that the US is unwilling or unable to tackle.
M3 - Comment/debate
VL - 34
SP - 387
EP - 391
JO - Contemporary Security Policy
JF - Contemporary Security Policy
SN - 1352-3260
IS - 2
ER -