We have little to gain from trade disputes, but very much to lose

September 11 changed the transatlantic relationship suddenly and profoundly. Germany and the US are probably not heading toward a new golden age in transatlantic relations, however. There are too many unresolved issues to deal with. Trade-related matters represent only one element of the transatlantic agenda, but many of these issues have broader foreign policy ramifications. Against the backdrop of Germany's demonstrated solidarity with the US in the war on terrorism, increasingly critical questions are being raised, such as what it is getting in return for being good allies of the US.