The thesis deals with transnational islamist terrorism and with the policy of the European Union (EU) and the United States (U.S.) in countering the threat. It is assumed that it is the EU's policy that is more relevant given the recent evolution of the threat. The assumption is subsequently tested throughout the paper. In the opening part, the focus is on the international, or transnational, islamist terrorism, in particular its root causes, ideological background and organizational forms. Second chapter is devoted to the EU's counterterrorism policy, first from the institutional point of view, as that has obvious implications for the formulation and implementation of policy. Then, the prevailing perceptions of terrorism, basic tenets of strategy and some concrete measures are analyzed. The chapter dealing with the U.S. policy is structured analogously, even if the institutional aspects are omitted due to the obvious absence of EU-specific problems. Chapter four provides a comparison of both actors' policies, followed up by the fifth, final, chapter, with some concluding remarks. Most importantly, the initial assumption is assessed as valid, i.e., the European Union counterterrorism policy is found to be more relevant than that of the United States.

The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the relationship between the EU and the USA with an emphasis on the period after the year 2000. The analysis was only possible with knowledge of preceding milestones that have formed the partnership, the thesis- therefore- begins with the period after the Second World War, to which the European Union can trace its roots. The thesis follows the changes in the relationship during the decades of the Cold War (long-term trends) and in the first decade after its end (short-term trends), and then, due to the broadness of the issue, concrete themes from the period after the year 2000. The thesis also examines the relationship in terms of partnership and conflict, and examines the reasons and events behind the motivation on both sides. The first chapter deals with the Europe-USA relationship development since 1945 and is divided into five parts according to post-war decades. The second chapter deals with the Europe (EU)-USA relationship development after the Cold War up to the beginning of the new millennium. The third chapter represents the centerpiece of the thesis- key issues in the transformation of the relationship. The chapter is divided into four subchapters: divergent and shared opinions on the fight against terrorism (Afghanistan, Iraq), divergent and shared opinions in relation to international organisations and treaties (the Kyoto Protocol, the International Criminal Court), divergent and shared opinions on solving the financial crisis. The fourth subchapter examines the transformation and continuity of the relationship after the accession of the Obama administration.

À l'aube du troisième millénaire, la démocratie fait face à deux défis différents. D'une part, elle est secouée par le terrorisme qui bafoue les principes et les valeurs démocratiques tout en déstabilisant les institutions et en menaçant les citoyens et même la nation. D'autre part, la démocratie peut être défiée par les dérives d'une lutte contre le terrorisme, non-proportionnelle et même excessive, menée par certains régimes « démocratiques ». Sous prétexte de contrer le terrorisme, la pratique de certains États démocratiques fragilise l'État de droit et révèle des violations des droits de l'homme et des libertés fondamentales. Cette étude se propose de rechercher l'infrastructure légale qui répond à la lutte contre le terrorisme sans nuire aux principes et valeurs démocratiques. Elle met en exergue la contradiction entre les deux concepts : démocratie et terrorisme. Cette étude aborde deux sujets d'actualité qui revêtent une importance particulière. Le premier porte sur la création du Tribunal Spécial pour le Liban [TSL] comme étant la première juridiction internationalisée à juger les actes relevant du terrorisme. Le second présente une étude comparatiste portant sur les « révolutions » survenues dans les pays arabes tout en mettant en évidence la nécessité de l'acheminement vers la démocratie face à la montée du terrorisme dans la région. Cette étude expose de même un panorama de la lutte des États du Proche-Orient contre le terrorisme. Elle projettera les conditions pour sortir d'une démocratie « masquée », éclatée par le terrorisme, à une démocratie « authentique », éclatante par le droit. / On the dawning of the third millennium, democracy is encountering two different challenges. On the one hand, it is shaken by terrorism that flies in the face of the democratic principles and values whilst destabilizing the institutions and threatening citizens touching even the nation itself. Notwithstanding the fact that on the other hand, democracy could be challenged by non-proportional and even excessive measures taken in the context of the fight against terrorism acquitted by certain « democratic » regimes. Thus, under the pretext of countering terrorism, the behavioural pattern of some democratic states undermines the State of law and unveils violations of human rights and fundamental liberties. The current study aspires to investigate the legal infrastructure that conforms to the fight against terrorism away from compromising the principles and values of democracy. For this purpose, the following pages would highlight the dialectic contradiction between two concepts: democracy and terrorism. In fact, the current study treats two hot topics particularly significant. The first of those topics would be the establishment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon [STL] being the first internationalized with jurisdiction over the acts of terrorism. The second of the above-mentioned topics would be a comparative study treating the current « revolutions » occurring within the Arab States, hence highlighting the need to pursue democracy versus the rise of terrorism in the region. Moreover, this study would exhibit a prospect of the fight against terrorism carried out by countries of the Near East. In addition, this study exposes some conditions by which a « disguised » democracy would be avoided, one that is struck by terrorism, towards an « authentic » democracy, striking with rights. / في فجر الالفية الثالثة٬ تواجه الديمقراطية تحديين مختلفين. التحدي الاول يكمن في الارباك الذي يحدثه الارهاب بضربه المبادئ والقيم الديمقراطية معرضا المؤسسات الى الخلل٬ مهددا المواطنين والامة ايضا. التحدي الثاني يتجلى بالانحراف في مكافحة الارهاب احيانا بطرق غير متناسبة لا بل مجحفة. فتحت ستار مكافحة الارهاب يتبين بان ممارسات بعض الدول الديمقراطية يضعف دولة القانون ويظهر انتهاكات لحقوق الانسان وللحريات الاساسية. تعالج هذه الرسالة البحث حول الاسس القانونية التي تتجاوب مع مكافحة الارهاب دون التعرض للمبادئ والقيم الديمقراطية. كما تطرح التناقض الموجود ما بين مفهومي الديمقراطية والارهاب. تتناول هذه الدراسة ايضا موضوعين حاليين ذات اهمية خاصة. يتطرق الاول الى انشاء المحكمة الخاصة بلبنان كأول محكمة ذات طابع دولي تنظر في قضايا الارهاب. فيما الثاني يشمل دراسة مقارنة حول الثورات الحاصلة في الدول العربية٬ تسلط الضوء على أهمية التحول الديمقراطي في مواجهة تصاعد الارهاب في المنطقة. كما وتعرض الرسالة دراسة حول مناهضة دول الشرق الأدنى للارهاب. اخيرا تطرح معايير للخروج من الديمقراطية « المقنعة » التي يفجرها الارهاب نحو ديمقراطية « فعلية » تزخر بالقانون.