The first years of the post-Cold War era have made abundantly clear that it is imperative for the Western allies to pursue a common strategy and a concerted diplomacy in order to secure their interests in a still unruly Europe. Doing so requires ingenuity from the past and determination in overcoming the parochialisms that have flourished in the wake of the Soviet Union's demise.

Yugoslavia brings home the twin lessons that peace in a reunited Europe is indivisible, and that Western incoherence carries a heavy price in ineffectiveness, lost respect, and lost control over a potentially turbulent environment. From four national perspectives, the authors examine what must be done for a more egalitarian Alliance to act effectively, on a multilateral basis, in addressing the new security agenda.

They conclude that devising new terms of collaboration depends on innovation in how national policy gets made as well as in how collective business is conducted.