Globalisation:Atlantic Partnership: Connections

To Politics

The Atlantic Partnership has a clear link to politics; the organisation was founded by a political leader; Michael Howard of the Conservative Party. The organizations main method of communication and negotiation is through social events like breakfast meetings, past guest speakers from both sides of the Atlantic show the correlation between the Atlantic Partnership and politics. Speakers from America include, NATO representative General Clark, United Nations Ambassador Dr. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, Senator John McCain, former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Colin Powell, former United States Secretary of State, and United Nations affiliate Alejandro Wolff. NATO and the UN are very important and powerful political bodies who are represented and take an active role in the work of the Atlantic Partnership. Guest speakers from Europe have included former British Prime Ministers, Gordon Brown, John Major and current Prime Minister David Cameron (who spoke while he was leader of the HM Opposition), former French Prime Minister Alain Juppé and Dr. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany. These speakers are clearly of very high status in politics and have been in control of transatlantic policies and negotiations before their affiliation with the Atlantic Partnership, clearly displaying the success of the group which has allowed overseas political connections to develop.

The most predominant governments involved are the United States of America and The United Kingdom, both have varying policies but the Atlantic partnership strives to create connection. The War on Terror initiated by the US government drew the support from other countries especially Britain, which achieved an Atlantic partnership goal of creating strong connections with wide support. Although Britain and America are the main actor’s involved there are politicians from all over Europe including; France, Germany, Spain and Italy to name a few. The organization strives to attain political support, but not necessarily in the form of politicians and political actors. Other organizations play a huge role in the forging of political connections, most notably; NATO who have engaged in correspondence through the active involvement of people such as, Former Secretary General (involved till 2004) Lord Robertson of Port Ellen and General Wesley Clark.

Two major political factors that the Atlantic Partnership strives to create connections to trade and defence. Decisions about these factors can have transatlantic and global effects; for example Americas choice to go to war with Iraq effected other countries and caused for different countries troops and weapons to be implemented in their fight; however this does accommodate the Atlantic partnerships goal to share values and, “ensure the continents do not drift apart and become weaker as lone entities. Trade - of course - is a worldwide issue, and therefore connections to it and its impacts are of great importance.

Several ‘Partners’ are detailed in the Atlantic Partnership website these partners support the political goals and are strongly affiliated with the organisation. The Centre for Transatlantic Relations is a research group that brings together government officials and politicians with many other fields, allowing challenges between Europe and North America to engage in relations and strengthens ties. -Another partner is The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) an institution promoting coherence and cooperation between Europe and North America. It encourages discussion of transatlantic policies and important debates.

Political individuals involved with the Atlantic Partnership have been involved in major elections; John McCain for example ran for Presidency in America's 2008 Presidential election. Other individuals have very prestigious and high status positions in politics; Vice Chairman The Honorable James Rubin is an economic and political adviser to President Obama. . Patrons, Colin Powell served as a key aide to the Secretary of Defense and as National Security Advisor to President Reagan . Patron John Gilberts is heavily realted to transatlantic issues and politics as he was previously the Labour defence minisiter, and is also a staunch NATO supporter and Vice Chairman of the Trade Union Committee for European and Transatlantic Organisation. (miller & dinan book????)