Review by Choice Review
Chernoff (Colgate) provides a methodologically sophisticated investigation of whether the Western states can maintain a transatlantic security alliance in the post-Cold War world. Chernoff evaluates three widely accepted theories of international cooperation--neorealism, neoliberal institutionalism, and cybernetic theory--to see how effectively they explain past cooperative behavior, testing hypotheses derived from those theories against 21 case studies of NATO activity in the key issue areas of weapons deployments, arms control, out-of-area activities, and doctrine. Concluding that none of them does a very good job, he constructs an alternative theory, which uses the variables of the quality of information exchanged, the experience national leaders have had with similar decisions, the support of the hegemon, and the perception of a common threat. Chernoff indicates that the combination of any three of these variables can produce cooperation, but there is no particular variable or combination that is necessary for cooperation. NATO can survive the post-Cold War world, but high levels of cooperation are likely only when there are high values for at least three of the four variables. This book is an important contribution to the theoretical literature and is recommended for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. R. L. Wendzel; United States Air War College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
