Re-Defining the Transatlantic Strategic / Response to Terrorism in the MENA Region
by Amb. Fred Tanner – German Marshall Fund of the United States-Paris – October 2013
Introduction : There are many joint interests between European states and the United States regarding the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Undoubtedly, the dynamics of the Arab Awakening and its socio-economic, political, and security implications are of serious concern to the transatlantic community. This concern includes, at the forefront, transition management toward more open and democratically account able governments with an economic future. This requires joint action, specifically in terms of crisis management and engaging with the military leadership in the region.
With regards to security, common transatlantic concerns are summarized by a recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report: “Countering terrorism, weapons proliferation, and transnational crime; curtailing Islamist extremism; ensuring a reliable flow of energy exports and commercial transit; and advancing regional peace.