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"Any alliance whose purpose is not the intention
to wage a war is senseless and useless"
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
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Quoting Hitler can be an occupational risk for an author, since the reader might misunderstand his intention and think the author is either sympathetic with the man himself or his ideology. However, it is because of the power that Hitler has to cause reaction that these words were chosen. Had it not been Hitler, expounding from Mein Kampf, the words would have lost their weight. When one considers a new European Military Alliance, it is vital that the past is not forgotten when forging the new frontier. The thesis of this chapter is that once a military power exists, it will be utilized. The question in this case is not “when” but rather “where. “ If it is used in Europe, or the aligning regions, the activation should be in a defensive posture, rather than in an offensive role. We must not forget Europe’s past when looking at the use of its military forces and learn from the lessons of history. Recent use of the European military forces in out of area operations beyond Europe’s Borders, especially in the emerging capabilities of the Eurocorps and EU Battlegroups might have a cause for some alarm.
European integration and the qualitative and quantitative military developments to defend it brought about continental security policy adjustments and these affect EU-US, EU-NATO and EU-Russia relationships. They also influence the EU role in global politics. This chapter’s goal is to show that the more combined European approach to economic, financial, cultural, and military force will have a significant impact on European security. The European Union’s common foreign and domestic policy, integrating the EU security and defense policy and the inclusive defensive functions not only strengthen the EU but also secure a long-term global future for the Union. The most recent step in that direction was the establishment of the European Security and Defense Union and the subsequent attempt to include this in the EU constitution. The sub-chapters address the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), ESDP and European Security and Defense Union (ESDU) development chronologies, enhancement stages and alternatives. Their establishment supports continental defensive capabilities – and despite their initial phase – already have respectable global prestige, influence and project additional capabilities for the Union.
European integration and the qualitative and quantitative military developments to defend it brought about continental security policy adjustments and these affect EU-US, EU-NATO and EU-Russia relationships. They also influence the EU role in global politics. This chapter’s goal is to show that the more combined European approach to economic, financial, cultural, and military force will have a significant impact on European security. The European Union’s common foreign and domestic policy, integrating the EU security and defense policy and the inclusive defensive functions not only strengthen the EU but also secure a long-term global future for the Union. The most recent step in that direction was the establishment of the European Security and Defense Union and the subsequent attempt to include this in the EU constitution. The sub-chapters address the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), ESDP and European Security and Defense Union (ESDU) development chronologies, enhancement stages and alternatives. Their establishment supports continental defensive capabilities – and despite their initial phase – already have respectable global prestige, influence and project additional capabilities for the Union.
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