European Union

Sarkozy: Libya war marks new chapter in EU-US relations

By Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver

From Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver:  The EU will in future play a bigger role vis-a-vis the US in providing hard security in north Africa and the Middle East, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said.

Wolfgang Ischinger: “Germany should not become NATO’s problem child”

By Deutsche Welle

From Deutsche Welle:  Respected diplomat Wolfgang Ischinger talks about Germany’s decision to abstain from the UN Libyan vote and why despite the success of the NATO intervention, we won’t likely see a spate of similar missions soon.

Policymaker’s Fear Of The Italian Penalty Shot

By Edward Hugh

According to one anonymous German official speaking off the record to reporters from Der Spiegel, “a country like Italy can’t be saved.” We will have to trust that he was referring to the country’s size when he made the statement, and not its existential core. If he was, he may well be right, at least under […]

Walt: “Transatlantic security cooperation will decline”

By Stephen Walt, Foreign Policy

From Stephen Walt, Foreign Policy:  I argued that the glory days of transatlantic security cooperation also lie in the past, and we will see less cooperative and intimate security partnership between Europe and America in the future.

Planning for Libya 2.0

By Daniel Serwer, Foreign Policy

The Slow Death of Europe

By Walter Laqueur, the National Interest

From Walter Laqueur, the National Interest:  With all its importance, the economic crisis is only part of our sad story—and probably not even the decisive one. For the present debacle is also one of an apparent lack of a common European identity and values, of national interests prevailing over a shared European interest.

Russia and Georgia still locked in frozen conflict

By Daniel McLaughlin, the Irish Times

From Daniel McLaughlin, the Irish Times:  Three years on, the heat of war has given way to an ice age in relations between Georgia and Russia.