U.S. should allow EU to defend itself

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Dec, 2004

Efforts by the European Union to develop common defense and foreign policies for member states--in addition to, and, at times, independent of, NATO--have set the stage for a fundamental restructuring of the security relationship between the U.S. and Europe in the future. Although some foreign policy experts dismiss such plans as shallow or even a threat to the U.S., American policymakers should embrace the EU's desire to assume responsibility for its own defense, contends former U.S. Foreign Service officer Leslie S. Lebl.

In "European Union Defense Policy: An American Perspective," Lebl, with 24 years experience in European political and defense issues, argues that, if the European Union decides it wants to assume responsibility for the defense of Europe, the U.S. should negotiate a new security relationship with those nations. Moreover, she states that the EU already has signaled a strong preference for such a situation, as evidenced in the recently adopted European Security Strategy.

"It is not clear that the EU will be able to meet the challenge of defending itself, but it makes no sense not to see if it can do so," Lebl reasons. "To encourage continued progress toward European self-sufficiency, as well as to meet its own strategic objectives, the U.S. should seek the 'lightest footprint' possible, including substantial troop reductions throughout Europe."

The EU already has committed itself to crisis management outside of its borders, demonstrating a willingness and capability to conduct military operations independent of the U.S., according to Lebl. Further, EU ministers have agreed to establish a European Defense Agency to coordinate arms procurement policies.

As to the question of the future of NATO policies, Lebl indicates that the U.S. should not unnecessarily adhere to them, since the Europeans increasingly are focused on the EU rather than NATO. The longer U.S. officials cling to the old ways, the more likely they will be seen as obstructing European nations' legitimate efforts to provide for their own security. While the EU will continue to be dependent on NATO in the near term, there will be a natural tendency to seek autonomy.

"The United States will have to choose between promoting continued European dependence and encouraging European self-sufficiency, between fearing European independence and viewing it as a fundamental success of U.S. policy since World War II," Lebl says. '"The primary long-term goals for the United States should be to ensure continued political support within Europe for" confronting mutual threats to U.S. and European security.