The UK’s Financial Times March 8, 2015 headline read,
“Jean-Claude Juncker calls for creation of EU army”
Numerous other news sites carried similar articles.
Germany’s Deutsche Welle (DW) news reported,
“European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has advocated a combined EU military force, suggesting two major benefits: to improve the bloc’s standing on the world stage, and to send a message to Moscow.”
This is not the first time the topic has been raised.
In 2010, according to the EU Business website, former German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said that his country supported the eventual creation of a European army. He added,
“The concept of a European army was set out in the … EU’s reforming Lisbon Treaty.”
The Lisbon Treaty became effective in December 2009.
Differences Evident
Once again, some politicians in the EU applauded the idea; others strongly denounced it.
UK’s Financial Times also reported that British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has repeatedly stated that Britain would “never support” any form of EU army.
Polish Presidential Security Adviser, General Sanislaw Koziej, has apparently characterized it as “an impractical dream.” According to DW, Koziej said,
“To have an army, you need first of all a political decision-maker who would deploy such an army,” Koziej said. “These days, nobody in Europe, no single country is contemplating giving up its sovereignty.”
But the Irish Times said that Germany’s current Defense Minister, Ursula von der Leyen, commented she was confident that “perhaps not my children but my grandchildren will have a United States of Europe with its own military.”
Soon a Split?
The two camps — one in favor of an open border immigration policy as well as a closer federation with its own Energy Union plus own armed services; and the other equally opposed — appear more divided, and more vocal, than ever.
Juncker Photo credit: © European Union 2012 – European Parliament (CC license permission)
Cameron Photo credit: (CC license permission)
Read the Financial Times article here (registration required)
See the related February 26, 2015 article below
Prior European news (including related 2014 articles dated Oct. 6th & Sep. 3)
