Spain and the United States - Real Instituto Elcano

10
SPAIN AND THE UNITED STATES
goods and services, and tourism) that the US is also often characterized as a
“strategic opportunity” by our Index in years when US FDI flows to Spain
soften – as occurred in 2004.
Although the bulk of Chislett’s analysis focuses on the evolution – past and
present – of the economic relationship between our two countries (covered
extensively in Chapters Two, Three and Four), he has not forgotten the
essential political, cultural and linguistic components. Chapter One (the book’s
longest) presents a magnificent historical tour of the Spanish-US relationship,
beginning with Columbus’ late 15 th century exploratory voyages, passing
through the oscillations in the relationship between the War of 1898 and the
1953 bases agreement, and concluding with an analysis of the contours of the
present relationship, as established first by former President José María Aznar,
and as recently rearticulated by President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
Chapters Five and Six explore the significance of the Hispanic Community
in the United States (along with potential implications for Spain of the growing
political and economic importance of this varied minority group) and the realm
of cultural relations, including the increasing influence of the Spanish language
in North America and the mutual interplay of images and perceptions that
Spain and the US hold of one another.
Much of this latter analysis is in large part grounded upon the ongoing
work of another of our Institute’s important research projects: the Elcano Royal
Institute Barometer (or the BRIE, as it is known here in Spain). The quarterly
BRIE continues to track the state of Spanish public opinion with respect to a
wide range of Spanish foreign policy issues and Spanish interests in the world.
Chislett has astutely integrated ongoing BRIE findings with other US sources
to articulate his analysis of the mutual perceptions between Spain and the
United States.
Lastly, it must be said that Chislett’s book is a welcome addition to a very
scant bibliography on Spanish-US relations. In this sense, its publication
helps the Elcano Royal Institute to fulfil some of its most basic functions: to
provide timely and informative analysis to stimulate the public debate on
important Spanish issues in the international arena and to contribute
constructively to the reflection of our policymakers in their challenging project
of crafting Spanish foreign policy. We encourage the public, both here and
abroad, to read this book.
GUSTAVO SUÁREZ PERTIERRA
Chairman
Elcano Royal Institute for International
and Strategic Studies