Chairman Ursula von der Leyen declared in her State of the Union address on Wednesday that the Euro Zone has to develop the “political will” to create its own military.
Following President Joe Biden’s humiliating pullout from Afghanistan, the EU Commission leader told the European Commission in Brussels the organization should consider forming a “European Defense Union.”
Just How Big Will this New Army Be?
There were a lot of debates about troops and equipment in the previous several weeks. Battlegroups or EU incursion forces: what kind of how many of those do they need? This is, without a question, a part of the discussion and part of the answer, according to von der Leyen.
However, the more key question is why this hasn’t succeeded before. It’s not simply a lack of ability that’s held them back so far; it’s also a lack of democratic commitment. However, there is a lot they could do at the European council if they build this political courage.
That’s why the EU may contemplate its own Joint Threat Assessment Centre to fuse all the different bits of information, said the former German defense minister. The defense minister then argued for a more centralized leadership structure for Europe’s forces, rather than the current “scattered” approach.
Germany’s present Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer praised the statement. Kramp-Karrenbauer declared that Ursula von der Leyen is correct. The social will of member countries is required for true EU defense. That is why Germany and France must take the initiative.
Leading MEP Backs Calls for an EU Army After Biden’s Afghanistan Blunder https://t.co/msCteQJBTS
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) September 14, 2021
Kabul Withdrawal Sparked the “Need” for this New Army
In the aftermath of Kabul, the EU president’s address arrives amid a growing agreement in Brussels for a fully-fledged European Army. Guy Verhofstad, a renowned Eurocrat and past Belgian head of state, explained last month that Afghanistan once again demonstrates the importance of armies to the safety of EU citizens and partners overseas.
EU countries must work together to keep their people, industries, and values by cooperating and integrating forces. Think beyond stereotypes and taboos: an EU army is a no-brainer!
Charles Michel, Leader of the Europen Council, also said the European Union should consider expanding its conventional forces, pushing for more “strategic autonomy” for the organization.
Mr. Michel stated that a military force comprised of twenty-seven countries had been unable to autonomously guarantee (without the assistance of the United States) the essential help to remove its nationals and the Afghans who backed them.
From ‘Dangerous Fantasy’ to Reality in Seven Years: EU Reveals ‘Uniformed Service’ https://t.co/PrvBM6a8So
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 12, 2021
Observing the shift in public sentiment in Brussels, NATO Director General Jens Stoltenberg remarked that while he supports additional European countries increasing their defense budget, an EU Army “can never supplant” the North American-European alliance.
Mr. Stoltenberg continued, warning that any effort to escape the relationship between North America and Europe will not only undermine NATO but also divide Europe.
Nigel Farage (the Brexit campaigner who was criticized before the 2016 EU Referendum for peddling “false narratives” about the possibility of an EU army) has spoken out against the growing push for a militarized union.
