“The shift in U.S. security strategy – What is left for the transatlantic partnership in a ‘Pacific Age’?” – this was the central discussion question for the participants of Atlantik-Brücke’s 20th annual meeting with the U.S. European Command. Around 40 high-ranking guests from the military, politics, business and the media came to the Magnus-Haus in Berlin on January 24, 2012, in order to openly and confidentially discuss the future of the transatlantic defense partnership with Admiral James G. Stavridis, Commander of the U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe and General Volker Wieker, Chief of Defense of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces).

Admiral Stavridis emphasized that for the U.S., the 21st century will not just be pacifically-oriented, but globally-oriented. From the Admiral’s perspective, the focus that President Obama and Secretary Clinton are placing on Asia and the Pacific does not necessarily signal a purely Pacific age. Rather, the Admiral imagines a much more global era. In addition to discussing the increasing significance of the Asian realm, he pointed to the growing role, especially in terms of security policy, of Latin America and Africa. Also, Stavridis believes that because of the community of values that Europe shares with the U.S., Europe’s significant economic strength and its strategic geographical location, Europe is, and will continue to be, America’s most important partner. General Wieker added that, considering the increasing importance of Asia and America’s focus on this region, Germany and Europe must develop their own security policy and defense strategy – both in regard to the framework of their partnership with the USA and the role of Germany and Europe worldwide.

Other topics and issues addressed by the discussion participants included improving cooperation within NATO, the relationship of NATO with Russia and ways that NATO can respond more flexibly and better deal with unexpected conflicts in the future.