| One Forward, Two Back |
26 May 2003
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Europe Discusses Next Integration Step
The European Union is in the process of finding its next objective in the never-ending march to full integration. Like a bicyclist, European Unionists believe that they must keep moving forward or risk falling over. This is only true if the goal is to bind the peripheral countries ever tighter to the Paris-Berlin Axis. Otherwise, things are fine as they are.
Chief among the ideas for greater unity are a common foreign policy, and as a corrollary, a common defense policy. While these would be helpful, they cannot be imposed from above. A common foreign policy must emerge through common interests. At present, such is not the case.
Consider the recent unpleasantness over Iraq. Britain and France barely could contain their mutual loathing. Britain believed its interests required it to back the US. France believed its interests required it to resist the Americans. How could a common policy airise out of this basic clash of perceived interests?
Britain has been part of the EU for 30 years. Add to this mix Poland, the Czech Republic and the Baltic states. Euro-union will require more work to bring these into economic harmony -- which is far easier to do than to reconcile foreign interests. Best to leave it alone for now.