Oracle wrote:AWE wrote:Oracle wrote:The EU is the emerging Superpower. The USA is now limited and in decline.
The EU has a larger population. Its economy will leave the USA crippled; struggling to enforce its defunct dollars.
Now we have established a post of President. And with the office of the European Union Military Staff, responsible for strategic planning, having accomplished several military operations; the EUMS has "become a key player in the development of the European Security and Defence Policy.” (in their own words).
It is the EU Military which will kick out the Turks (and the USA) from Cyprus-EU...
good luck don't hold your breath:As regards military capabilities, the EU has set itself the goal of being able to deploy by 2003 a force of up to 60,000 personnel within 60 days, and to sustain it on the ground for at least one year, for the purposes of humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping, and crisis management – including peace-making. It should be noted that the military and defence dimension of the EU does not include territorial defence. The Defence commitment in Article 5 in the Western European Union Treaty was not taken over by the EU when other Western European Union functions were subsumed in the EU at the beginning of 2002. Yet a number of other aspects of broader security concern are increasingly on the agenda of the EU institutions, particularly after September 11.
In practice, preventing conflicts and managing crises requires a combination of civilian and military instruments. The EU member states for example decided at the European Council in Lisbon in June 2000, to be able by 2003 to provide up to 5000 police officers for international missions.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... ope/eu.htm
And from the same source here is the kicker:
Relevant policy areas in this field include: security of supply and energy stock reserves, the Single European Sky, GALILEO, protection of critical infrastructure, cybercrime, air transport and aircraft security.
So Turkey is about to be attacked as it is becoming an energy transit hub, by the 5000 police officer.
Thank you for the (outdated) retrospective of the early days when the EU military was being discussed/initiated. But, I am referring to 2009 and the (near) future. Do you really think the EU is standing still?
Did you see the bit about territorial defence not being included in the mandate?
It should be noted that the military and defence dimension of the EU does not include territorial defence.
As I said good luck convincing the French, Germans, Spanish, Italians, UK etc to deploy in Cyprus.
As to the new "President" he will do as he is told to by the big EU powers and the High Commissioner only speak for the EU when they have unanimity on Foreign Policy.
