The Obama Moment. European and American Perspectives

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2. The Obama administration and Europe
aid to Pakistan, and EU trade with Pakistan is relatively marginal and strained by
bilateral disputes.
The Obama administration has been quite disappointed by what it regards as a relatively
feeble European response to its calls for help in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Having recognised that most European governments are unlikely to boost substantially
their troop presence in Afghanistan, the administration wants Europeans to
build on their self-proclaimed strengths in civilian crisis management to join a ‘civilian
surge’ that could improve Afghanistan’s governance, rule of law, policing capabilities
and sustainable economic development that does not rely on poppy production.
EU support for a broader reform agenda in Pakistan that would encompass
assistance to strengthen Pakistani democracy, resistance to violent extremism, and
greater economic engagement and support would be welcomed by Washington. EU
efforts in both countries will do much to determine Europe’s credibility in Washington’s
eyes as a global security actor and its ability to deploy ‘soft power’ tools of
aid, trade and diplomacy to stabilise troubled nations.
The situation in Afghanistan, however, is grim, and there are no easy choices. At the
end of August 2009 General Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of NATO forces in
Afghanistan, told the White House 8 that the mission risked ‘failure’ without more
troops, stepped up efforts to deal with a corrupt Afghan government, and implementation
of a genuine counterinsurgency strategy. While he concluded that ‘success
is still achievable,’ he warned that unless the international community seizes
the initiative within the next 12 months, it may be ‘impossible’ to defeat the growing
insurgency, and Afghanistan could again become a base for terrorism. In response
the administration initiated a wholesale reconsideration of the strategy it had announced
only months before. This hesitation, together with a surge in violence in
the country, has reinforced doubts in key European capitals about the nature, purpose
and prospects of Western engagement. In short, the way forward seems unclear,
and allied solidarity will be tested.
Common security challenges
Beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan, Europeans and Americans are challenged to
tackle a broader range of international security challenges that they face together.
Closer transatlantic cooperation is not only essential to prevent Iran from developing
nuclear weapons, it will be even more essential in crafting an extended deterrence
regime in the Persian Gulf/Middle East if Iran does in fact acquire such
8. Bob Woodward, ‘McChrystal: More Forces or “Mission Failure.”’ The Washington Post, 21 September 2009.