Foreign policy & defence
Issue 83 - 2012
23 March 2012
- How to keep Britain in the EU, Charles Grant
- Stable public finances require stronger business investment, Simon Tilford
- A new political bargain in Afghanistan, Edward Burke
Poland's U-turn on European defence: A missed opportunity?
09 March 2012
In failing to respond to Poland's proposals on EU defence, European governments are missing an opportunity to improve Europe's ability to tackle military crises abroad.
All alone? What US retrenchment means for Europe and NATO
01 March 2012
With the US reducing its role in NATO, the Europeans need to assume more military responsibility, and the alliance needs to narrow its ambitions.
Russia is not completely wrong about Syria
17 February 2012
The Kremlin may be playing realpolitik and taking pride in blocking the West in Syria, but it has drawn attention to some weaknesses in Western diplomacy.
Why France is leaving Afghanistan
02 February 2012
France has sent a clear message by withdrawing its troops early from Afghanistan: NATO is failing to meet its objectives. The problem lies in Kabul not Paris.
The US declares peace in Europe, prematurely
26 January 2012
The Pentagon's 'strategic guidance', released on January 5th, makes three key changes: it establishes Asia as the focus of US military efforts, with the Middle East a close second. It foresees fewer 'nation-building'
missions such as the one in Afghanistan, and more strikes from afar and from the air, sometimes...
missions such as the one in Afghanistan, and more strikes from afar and from the air, sometimes...
What Europe's new diplomatic service can do for Britain
10 January 2012
Following a recent agreement on EU foreign policy the UK should not miss an opportunity to use Europe's new diplomatic service to reinforce British interests.
Is Turkey our partner now?
28 November 2011
Six years after the start of accession talks, the EU and Turkey are struggling to keep up a semblance of progress. Having opened talks on 13 chapters of EU law by mid- 2010, they have not started on a new one for over a year now. Most of the remaining...
Governments need incentives to pool and share militaries
01 November 2011
Military collaboration among EU countries makes economic sense, but governments will need additional incentives to overcome reservations about initial costs and erosion of national sovereignty.
Britain and France should not give up on EU defence co-operation
24 October 2011
Although EU defence efforts have delivered less than had been hoped, they have led to some welcome improvements in European military capabilities.
What Libya says about future NATO operations
26 August 2011
In Libya, the Europeans have for the first time responded to Washington's calls to assume responsibility for their neighbourhood. This should be cause for cautious optimism about NATO.
The US and the EU should support the Palestinian bid for UN membership
25 August 2011
The US and the EU should support the Palestinian request for UN recognition. If framed constructively, the Palestinian initiative can strengthen the prospects for peace.
Race to the bottom
24 August 2011
For decades, European countries cut defence budgets with little worry. The United States kept enough troops on the continent to deter all potential enemies, almost irrespective of how small European militaries became.
Britain draws the wrong lessons from Libya
01 August 2011
When it comes to defence, the United Kingdom is giving up on the EU. For most Britons, the war in Libya has confirmed that the majority of European countries are simply not serious about defence.
What Libya says about the future of the transatlantic alliance
29 July 2011
Libya is the first war fought according to Barack Obama's rules, with the United States taking a back seat. The Europeans responded well: by taking decisive military action to maintain the stability of their neighbourhood.
Trio leadership: The need to liberalise the European defence market
03 June 2011
TGAE report
Over the last year, renewed defence spending cuts in many EU member-states have increased the need for closer EU defence co-operation. European governments have long acknowledged that significant savings could be gained through more common procurement in defence, joint logistics and common ownership of the most expensive military capabilities. In...
EU ministers tackle defence austerity
01 June 2011
How do you do more with less? The EU defence ministers agreed last week that the way to limit the impact of the economic crisis on their defence budgets lies in more co-operation.
Palestinian reconciliation is an opportunity for peace
01 June 2011
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict risks deteriorating further amidst the upheaval in the Arab world and Palestinian efforts to gain recognition at the UN. But one glimmer of hope has emerged.
Press freedom – the new accession criterion?
16 May 2011
Countries that want to join the EU need to show that their democracies work well. However, press freedom – a key ingredient of any pluralist democracy – is under threat in most of the countries that are now queuing for accession.
Surviving austerity: The case for a new approach to EU military collaboration
22 April 2011
A wave of budgetary austerity is weakening Europe’s defences. The armed forces of Europe will lose important skills and capabilities unless they can find ways of saving money through collaboration. Tomas Valasek examines previous efforts at pooling and sharing, and explains why some succeeded better than others. The formation of...