For more than 50 years, the transatlantic partnership between the United States and Europe has been the linchpin of this country's foreign policy. Despite a remarkable record of success, 2003 marked the lowest point in transatlantic relations since World War II. The dispute over Iraq prompted an unusual level of rancor and rhetoric on both sides of the Atlantic and a steady deterioration in public support for a close transatlantic partnership. Do these signs of friction reflect a temporary transatlantic misunderstanding, or are more fundamental forces at work? Can the United States and Europe still be effective allies -- and if so, how? The Imbalance of Power | 
