Abstract

The article examines if the concept of "the West" still has a lasting political vitality having been under a growing pressure since the end of the Cold War and, particularly, after the last War in Iraq. The current friction between Europe and America has been analysed knowing that, in the past, there have always been different approaches to the same political questions from the two sides of the Atlantic, both rooted in a different history. On the other hand, the concept of "the West" has acquired a strong and unique political meaning, completely unknown before, mainly after the United States has become the Western hegemon. The author shows that the present crisis in Euro-American relations coincides with the emergence of a growing threat considered common and serious by both Americans and Europeans. This shows us that alliances are mainly based on shared values and interests rather than on the perception of an external threat.