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Britain: balancing 'instinctive atlanticism'

Britain: balancing 'instinctive atlanticism'
Britain: balancing 'instinctive atlanticism'
This article highlights four key aspects of British ballistic missile defence policy. These are, first, the Anglo-American connection; second, the participation in American-led ‘coalitions of the willing’; third, the role of NATO; and, fourth, the role of the defence industry. These four factors operate inside a strategic culture of ‘instinctive Atlanticism’ coupled with a Europeanist trend in recent years. Developments in the United States are likely to be more influential in British policy than missile proliferation. An American offer of BMD coverage of the UK homeland, perhaps as part of the American system, might be attractive, but the lack of a strong pro-missile defence constituency in Britain, other than in the defence industry, probably means that it is only in this context that London would make such a decision.
1352-3260
447-469
Smith, Mark
dfd83997-508b-40c6-a0e1-25fd763af36d
Smith, Mark
dfd83997-508b-40c6-a0e1-25fd763af36d

Smith, Mark (2005) Britain: balancing 'instinctive atlanticism'. Contemporary Security Policy, 26 (3), 447-469. (doi:10.1080/13523260500500930).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This article highlights four key aspects of British ballistic missile defence policy. These are, first, the Anglo-American connection; second, the participation in American-led ‘coalitions of the willing’; third, the role of NATO; and, fourth, the role of the defence industry. These four factors operate inside a strategic culture of ‘instinctive Atlanticism’ coupled with a Europeanist trend in recent years. Developments in the United States are likely to be more influential in British policy than missile proliferation. An American offer of BMD coverage of the UK homeland, perhaps as part of the American system, might be attractive, but the lack of a strong pro-missile defence constituency in Britain, other than in the defence industry, probably means that it is only in this context that London would make such a decision.

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Published date: 2005

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Local EPrints ID: 34383
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/34383
ISSN: 1352-3260
PURE UUID: ec9ff5f4-cf36-4524-8146-a5dbd8a1f18e

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Date deposited: 16 May 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 07:47

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Author: Mark Smith

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