The Counterterror Coalitions

The long-term success of the counterterror campaign will depend on concerted cooperation from European states, but a key question is the extent to which that cooperation should be pursued through European multilateral institutions. NATO has not yet reoriented itself to challenge terrorism, although it has adopted a number of initiatives to improve its counterterror capabilities. The European Union is limited in its military and intelligence capabilities, although it has taken a number of initiatives in Justice and Home Affairs. This study argues that the United States should pursue military and intelligence cooperation on a bilateral basis, and it should increasingly pursue financial and law enforcement cooperation on a multilateral basis. The United States might adopt a more multilateral approach as cooperation within the EU increases. Multilateral cooperation with a strengthening EU would enhance the ability of states on both sides of the Atlantic to prevent terrorism and prosecute those involved in terrorist activities.