Some three weeks ago, Europe announced the launch of the Strategic Compass initiative, “an ambitious plan of action for strengthening the EU’s security and defence [sic] policy.” The initiative does not intend to be a part of NATO, but to run alongside it and relate to NATO as a “strategic partner.”
Despite the fact that NATO is an alliance established primarily in order to protect Europe, and even though the majority of the countries in both entities, including the primary initiator of the “Compass,” France, participate in both, the new organization will compete against NATO for the same resources. It’s Military Mobility plan, for example, is “an EU initiative to improve the mobility of military personnel, materiel and assets within and beyond the EU.”
Similarly, the “Compass” will build an EU Rapid Deployment Capacity task force to enable the EU “to react to conflicts quickly, robustly and effectively. To that end, the EU will develop a Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC) consisting of up to 5000 troops.”
As I see it, Europe’s anti-American spirit will blow up in its face. The initiative demonstrates how disunited the European Union really is. The only solution to this situation is that soon, both France and Germany (to a lesser extent), will suffer powerful blows that will shake the anti-American spirit out of them.
The relentless ambition to be unique, superior, and all powerful, especially in the leading countries in the EU, makes Europe the opposite of united, and in that sense, this initiative is exemplary. The rest of the European countries will have to balance them, but it will not be easy.
Europe had been the dominant continent for centuries, but two world wars have upended the world order. Today, Europe has two leaders, Germany and France, in that order, which are completely opposite to one another in every sense of the word. Additionally, there are the United States, Russia, and a number of Asian countries such as China, India, and several others, which are also growing increasingly powerful and dominant. The EU countries pale in comparison to them.
Because of it, Europe has no future. They might join hands in order to protect themselves against outside aggressors, but the connection among the EU countries has always been loose and competitive. This is why they cannot get along and why they will not succeed.
If there is a future for Europe, it is to show the entire world that humanity has no choice but to live together in peace and rise above the ego. The sustainable concept for humanity is to begin to genuinely help one another. Instead of looking for the next opportunity to beat each other on the head, we must learn to look for ways to tighten the bonds between us.
Granted, this is a learning process, but it has to start somewhere. If Europe sows the seeds now, they will see them bear fruit. If they stall, matters will deteriorate until they are forced to go down this path of peace against their will. As long as Germany stands on one side and France on the other, and in between no one does anything, nothing good will happen.
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