Particle and nuclear physics with high energy leptons

In high centre-of-mass energy lepton-nucleon collisions the space-time time resolution of partonic processes can be fine-tuned within a dynamical range which is unattainable in hadronic collisions. Replacing nucleons by nuclei of variable atomic number enables one to tune the strength of colour forces. The experimental program of high energy electron-nucleon and its extension to electron-nucleus collisions should thus give an unique opportunity to experimentally explore the transition between the soft and hard interactions of small and extended partonic systems. Such an experimental program, which can be realized at DESY and/or BNL with relatively modest cost, is discussed in this talk