In the aftermath of the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, Americans simply could not envisage sharing their security responsibilities with others. At best, Europeans could be America’s “cleaning ladies,” to use the indelicate analogy coined at the time by some neo-conservative thinkers during George W. Bush’s first term in office.
如果答案是肯定的，那么最新局面的矛盾性就表露无疑了。2001年9月11日恐怖袭击后，美国已无法想象与他人共担安全责任。在小布什的第一个任期中，新保守主义思想家以不太雅观的比方称欧洲充其量只能是美国的“清洁女工”。