U.S.- Spain Bilateral Dialogue

On May 19, the CSIS Europe Program and the Madrid-based Real Instituto Elcano co-hosted the 2008 U.S.-Spain Bilateral Dialogue.  This year's dialogue marked a critical time in U.S.-Spanish relations.  Following the strain in ties in the aftermath of Spain's troop withdrawal from Iraq in 2004, both countries now stand at an opportunity to rebuild  a strong, strategic partnership in light of the March general elections in Spain and the upcoming U.S. presidential elections. 

How will the new U.S. administration and Spainish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's second-term government address the myriad crisises in the Middle East,  the war against terrorism, and a looming global economic crisis? The U.S.-Spain Bilateral Dialogue addressed these and other critical questions by providing analysis from key U.S. and Spanish foreign policy, economic, and security experts during a day-long conference in Madrid.