Abstract
This chapter presents the analytical framework that will structure the empirical analysis of Denmark’s evolving relationship with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It summarizes the main findings and assesses their implications for the future Denmark–NATO relationship. The collapse of the USSR fundamentally changed the interaction and the relative importance of the three drivers shaping Denmark’s NATO policy. The Danish fear of abandonment increased, the fear of entrapment disappeared and status-seeking emerged as a policy objective in its own right. The new Danish NATO policy was highly appreciated by the Alliance, and Denmark was increasingly praised as “role model” by the US and other NATO members with respect to force contributions, force transformation, and the comprehensive approach to conflict management operations. Denmark sought to obtain the American security guarantee in NATO on the cheap, and managed to meet the new American and NATO demands for increased involvement in out-of-area conflicts while cutting defense spending by engaging in radical force transformation.