Interesting blog on the EU fantasy of actually being an equal partner in international affairs.

37,000+ French, Italian, Dutch, German, et al troops can replace the American troops on the peninsula and be responsible for serving as a "tripwire" in case of North Korean attack. They can take the lead in deciding how to defuse this one, and if they decide force is needed, they can bear the lion share of the burden - our troops are busy elsewhere, and our full partners should be able to handle this one while we handle the other. Oh, the U.S. won't be out of the picture - like I said, it will be role reversal. The EU will be expected to "consult" with us at every turn, whatever moves they make will be subjected to un-constructive criticism, and if they make even the smallest of mistakes we'll be quick with the finger of blame.



What? You say the Europeans couldn't do it? The EU isn't up to the job? They couldn't bear the burden required of them? If push came to shove, they couldn't' give South Korea the same help as we could? Probably for the best that no one wants to see role reversal here - they'd only screw the pooch anyhow, like they did in the Balkans (the "hour of Europe" arrived and disappeared). Possibly out of passive-aggressiveness, and possibly just because they aren't able to fill the role they envision for themselves. But they want to be an "equal partner", so they should be able to take a significant role in a major crisis. They manifestly aren't, as each major crisis from the Balkan Wars to the present have shown. Nor do they want to make the sacrifices, financial and otherwise, to create the capacity to match their capabilities with their pretentions - and the hopes of most Americans who want to have a real partner. I also doubt that the South Koreans, for all the criticism of their American ally during the recent Korean election, and all the resemblance of their "Sunshine Policy" to the methods of dealing with problems preferred by the EU, would want to exchange a primarily American security alliance with a primarily European one - they likewise would soon understand that the consequences would be a disaster for millions of Koreans.