On the anniversary of 9/11 the German Marshall Fund have published their annual transatlantic trends. There's some interesting stuff in the report. Europeans not only want Obama, but think he will improve transatlantic relations too; while a majority of Europeans think NATO is essential. Europeans identify climate change as a priority but Americans believe the Middle East should be the focus of their attention. The situation in Iraq, the top issue in American foreign policy, is largely absent from the transatlantic agenda.

While combating international terrorism remains a concern, rising energy costs and economic turbulence have shifted the focus of transatlantic debates over the past year. However, the scars from Iraq are still evident and a transatlantic rift remains, with only modest increases in the percentage of Europeans who feel transatlantic relations should become closer.

That said, a large majority of Europeans (67%) continue to feel that the EU should address international threats in partnership with the United States, rather than independently. Overall more we are more positive about transatlantic relations in 2008 than we were last yea - but there is still some way to go. But Obama really change things for the better?

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