Germany draws up plans for greater military powers in EU and NATO

PARADE: German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen inspects the troops

 

GERMANY wants a bigger military role in NATO and the EU, according to papers due out this week.

Proposals to improve the country’s security defences and boost its political clout marks a significant shift in foreign policy which has deliberately steered clear of controversial global and military affairs since the end of the Second World War.

The German defence ministry will release a white paper stating it is ready to “assume responsibility” and “help meet current and future security and humanitarian challenges”.

Is Europe Finally Ready for an Army?

Caption: European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (OHN THYS/AFP/Getty Images)

 

 

After the Paris attacks, Europe’s calls for a combined military could finally happen.

Europe is secretly plotting to create a European army, some British newspapers have been proclaiming over the last week. “Britain Will Be Forced to Join an EU ARMY Unless We Leave, Says Armed Forces Minister” read a headline on the Express. Meanwhile, other news outlets have been quick to discredit the idea. “[I]s there a serious, imminent chance of this happening?” asked The Guardian. It answered its question in just one word: “No.”

It’s easy to see why they are so dismissive. Leaders of the European Union have been talking about forming a European army for over half a century, and it’s still not here.

But none of these articles examine why the subject of an EU army has come up again. A look behind the headlines reveals why Europe might actually make some real progress toward a combined military this time.