Political-Military Trends in Italy, Greece, and Spain

The U.S. Navy maintains a presence ashore in Italy, Greece, and Spain, which means the United States must work cooperatively with those countries on anti-terrorism and force protection. That cooperation is shaped by the host nations’ security concerns, national politics, and their developing security issues. The authors of a new paper from CNA on political-military trends in the three countries make several observations and recommendations, including:

• The host nations largely agree on the main security challenges facing them, including immigration, maritime safety, and terrorism. Those issues provide common ground for U.S.-European cooperation;
• Many European countries are seeking solutions to security problems that bolster European and national positions rather than support a dominant U.S. position;
• Italy, Greece, and Spain all support the use of their countries for U.S. missions to other areas, including the Gulf;
• Future cooperation on anti-terrorism and force protection between the Navy and its host nations will depend in part on the Navy’s capacity to engage diplomatically with local, regional, and national authorities.