Deutsche Welle is telling us that an emergency EU meeting Monday in Brussels on how to respond to Russia's recognition of the Georgian breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia "could be instrumental in confirming the EU as a force for peace."

If this is supposed to be an example of serious journalism, one can only stand back and wonder. On the one hand, the EU has no military forces at its disposal and cannot intervene physically in the region. It is thus totally reliant on its "soft power".

View full article here

If the US would only begin to lighten its military committment to Europe, perhaps the Europeans would begin to take responsibility. European "soft" power exists only within the context of American hard power. The Europeans should be very worried by an Obama administration intent on softening American power. This might mean less willingness to protect Europe.

Russia will certainly push and press until there is resistance. Clearly, the Europeans will provide none. The Bush administration has given some tough signals, but everyone understands that these issues are for the next administration.

The Europeans would be wise to find new suppliers of oil and gas. The Russians have made it clear that, owing to political instability in the Caucausus, they are the most reliable supplier. Nice trick, eh.

"Tis all a Checkerboard of Nights and Days
Where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays:
Hither and thither moves, and mates, and stays,
And one by one back in the Closet lays.”

.

If we didn't keep ourselves from drilling over politics, we would probably be exporting oil to Europe.

No matter how it is dressed up, the EU has finally confirmed that it is nothing but a paper tiger, other powers will now treat it as such.

The good news is, that yet another reason to quit the EU, has also been confirmed.

I have perused this site regularly for a couple of years now and, from my perch in the States, I do not yet understand why the EU exists, and why Europeans cede ever more soverignty. One would assume that the EU might claim to protect its citizens from security threats both foreign and domestic. The practical effect would seem to be less security than existed when individual European states were capable of flexing muscle at home and abroad. I have heard another reason given as economic efficiency. Yes, perhaps a bit, but at the cost of much greater regulation and far less freedom, both political and economic.

Where does this all end? If the US does, in fact, pull back from Europe under an Obama administration intent on shifting military spending to domestic priorities, does Europe become part of the Russian sphere? Does the EU develop a more powerful military force apart from NATO? Is anyone thinking about these questions?