International Affairs

European Union Establishes a Common Defence Force

In an unprecedented step the member countries of the European Union agreed in Brussels on November 20 to establish a common defence force. The force will be able to deploy more than 100,000 troops, 400 combat aircraft and 100 ships in response to a variety of military situations.

The force will have the role of "peacekeeping" to intervention in various parts of the world on humanitarian grounds. More ominously, the French Defence Minister underscored that a key purpose of the force would be to act as a military arm for European policy in the world. The French, who long ago left NATO, have developed a command structure that rivals NATO's technological capabilities. There are indications that this will serve as the command and control centre for the new European Defence Force.

Understandably, the United States has expressed deep reservations over this development. While the United States has long advocated the European countries contribute more to NATO (especially financially), it sees this expansion of the European Union's independent military capabilities as a direct threat to the continued existence of NATO. If NATO were to fall then so would a military cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy and its ability to dominate Europe.

Britain has also raised concerns with the new defence force - citing that while it will participate it will only engage in actions that it determines meet Britains strategic interests. The Defence Critic for the Conservative Party in Britain openly warned that the European Defence Force will replace NATO and moves the European Union one step closer to creating a "European" state.

It is interesting to note that Eugene Carroll, a retired General in the U.S. armed forces who has long been active in the peace movement in the United States and internationally, condemned the European decision as harmful to the continued existence of NATO and a threat to U.S. policy.

The decision by the EU to establish this force is an indication that the New World Order that U.S. President George Bush proclaimed on the eve of the Gulf War and following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact is moving into new and even more dangerous ground. While U.S. imperialism believed it had emerged as the sole superpower with an invincible military capability, it is now - a mere ten years later - facing the first steps that challenge its ability to arbitrate world affairs, this from from powers that were traditionally allies and subservient to U.S. interests. The European Union has served notice that it to wishes to control events corresponding to its interests and these may not coincide with U.S. imperialism. For the peoples of the world it is a period of increasing danger, as inter- imperialist rivalry can only threaten their interests for peace and security.