Can we perhaps distinguish between what is is and what it should/could be?

This discussion always makes me ambivalent.  On the one hand, as a US citizen, I'm appalled by and sick of the bullying domination of my country over the rest of the world, so I can appreciate that everyone outside the US would be even more hostile to it.  And they should be.  And I do believe the purpose of NATO in its current incarnation no longer reflects the reality of global politics and even stands in the way of the peace it is meant to ensure...

But if being an Atlanticist means believing in "cooperation among European and North American nations regarding political, economic, and defense issues," I would call myself an Atlanticist.

The fact is that we do share common interests.  That we do share a common culture in many respects, though culture is a fluid, evolving thing.  And what I do find worrisome is the notion that Atlanticism should be replaced with ... the word is not nationalism, because the EU is not a nation, but some kind of chauvinism.  I mean, if people are not willing to see that there is a wide gulf between pandering, submissiveness, poodletry and enmity, hostility, and isolationism, then they will never see progress.  That's the same trap Americans fall into.  You are either with us or with the terrorists.  What I sense here is a feeling that you are either with the EU or with the Atlanticists (with the same connotations).  Not only is that just untrue, but it is also just as unrealistic and out of touch with our political realities as NATO is.  

The answer to what is wrong with Atlanticism is a more independent, assertive Europe and a vocal acknowledgement that the axis of power and alliances have changed since 1949.  You can do these things and still accept that like it or not we have to work together because we share an ocean, much culture (the majority of Americans are of European descent, though that too is changing), and erm, a planet and the power to destroy it and each other.

I'm always for more cooperation, not less.  The problem with Atlanticism is that it's mistaken cooperation for some kind of messed up codependent relationship where Europe won't say no and America knows it.

So far as NATO goes, maybe after Iraq Europe will decide the US can't be of much help if the Russians do invade anyway...

Does the EU have a military that could defend itself?  

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.