Parting Ways: The Crisis in German-American Relations

Stephen F. Szabo presents a balanced if subjective look at the factors leading to the rift between Washington and Berlin over Iraq. He adroitly portrays how Sept. 11, 2001, was the shotgun in the marriage between U.S. conservative nationalists (Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney) and neo-conservatives (Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Pearl). The neo-cons seek to ensure American security by spreading democracy to every inch of the globe. Szabo ably profiles the historical and cultural circumstances that contributed to the German perception that Bush is a greater threat to world peace than Saddam Hussein. He also uncovers the underlying geopolitical fault lines causing the diplomatic temblors that are rattling the dishware on both sides of the Atlantic. His book is an excellent tactical portrayal of how a vital, longstanding diplomatic relationship can disappear virtually overnight. We strongly recommend this volume to any serious student of international relations, the Atlantic Alliance and the Bush Administration, particularly in regard to its response to 9/11.

Parting Ways: The Crisis in German-American Relations is the first in-depth examination of the German-American relationship written since the recent invasion of Iraq. While America's tensions with France over the war has held a higher profile, America's relationship with Germany suffered severe deterioration. Professor of European studies Stephen F. Szabo suggests that the clash between Germany and the U.S. regarding policy in Iraq reflects even greater changes shaping the relationships between the two nations, as the U.S.-German relationship loses strategic importance in the post-cold war era, a new German identity rises within Germany, and the U.S. foreign policy serves the will of what is arguably the most ideological administration since the mid-twentieth century. A meticulous, in-depth study of the cutting-edge political climate, paying special attention to the legacies of the Holocaust on the German psyche - both the older and the younger generations. A "must-read" for anyone closely researching German-American relations, written in detail yet using terminology highly accessible to the lay reader.