[ad_1]
General European Army. Could you? yes. Is it possible? not much.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has once again brought Europe’s common defense issues to the forefront.
The conflict in Ukraine has completely changed European defense planning. After all, this is the biggest conflict on European soil since World War II. The recent unprecedented Russian invasion has spread fear and concern among European capitals. When the first Russian tanks roared in Ukraine, the notion of peace and security that had seemed so certain for 30 years evaporated.
Indeed, NATO exists to prevent further Russian aggression into the West. But as many in the continent’s political centers argue, times are changing, and the United States may become preoccupied with domestic issues and conflicts with China in the far-flung Indo-Pacific in the future. be.
Issue: European Joint Forces
The idea of a European Union force has long been discussed in the continent’s power centers. This would be a separate organization from NATO and a counterpart to the European Union.
There is now a European Union Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP). This is a very light version of the Defense Alliance, but without any real functionality. However, for several reasons, all efforts to maintain a common European military power were in vain.
A major obstacle is the very nature of the European Union. The European Union, with its 27 member states and approximately 450 million people, is a modern-day Tower of Babel. There are many interests, ideas, and beliefs that collide almost every day. Even after major geopolitical events such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it seems unlikely that an agreement on the major political decision of creating a common military force will be reached any time soon.
Another major obstacle to the creation of a common European force concerns command and control. Composed of troops from many countries on the continent, Europe’s common army would have difficulty operating effectively on the battlefield or responding to contingencies.
As the Ukraine war has shown, there are differing views among European powers, especially when it comes to security assistance for countries in conflict. Such dysfunction in military operations would be disastrous in wartime.
Suppose, for example, that such a common military force existed and there was an emergency somewhere in Europe, but France and Germany could not agree on whether to send military forces. Meanwhile, unforeseen circumstances are spiraling out of control. The problem with that layout is immediately obvious.
For many in Europe, the formation of a national defense union was long overdue. As the European Union grows stronger individually and collectively, it seeks a greater voice on the world stage. However, it is doubtful whether this can be achieved through common military power.
The European Union’s success is primarily economic. A common currency, free trade areas and open borders between member countries foster growth and prosperity. There is wisdom in sticking to that arrangement and not trying to emulate NATO.
About the author
Stavros Atamazoglou is an experienced defense journalist specializing in special operations and a veteran of the Greek Army (575th Marine Battalion and Army Headquarters). He received his bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and his master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in his Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP. Email the author: [email protected].
[ad_2]
Source link
