Stardate 20030429.2240

(On Screen): Germany, France, Belgium and Luxembourg have decided to create and staff a military command "for operational planning and command of EU-led operations without recourse to NATO assets." It's viewed as the beginning of the process of formation of an EU military to exist independently of NATO.

Only problem is that it's going to end up being a command with nothing to command. They decided to assign the existing Franco-German brigade to this HQ, along with small contributions from Belgium and Luxembourg, but that's really not adequate for the ambitions they have for it. More is required.

In order to actually create an adequate new force to assign to it, they'd need to spend a lot of real money and make a commitment to keep spending a lot every year for the forseeable future. Considering the economic condition of France and Germany right now that just isn't in the cards.

In announcing this new plan, they gave lip-service to the idea that this is not intended as a challenge to NATO, but it's obviously a clear attempt to try to create an alternative. (Especially since there's every reason to believe that France's role in NATO is about to involuntarily become insignificant.) It's just that right now there aren't any substantial number of troops available to assign to this new military command.

But never fear! Paris is on the case, and has a solution. Europe needs an independent military which is capable of "counterbalancing" the US, but doesn't want to pay for it. Europe needs a nation which actually has a force large enough to be credible, which can become a partner in Europe's defense so as to protect Europe from American aggression. (Which is to say, Europe needs a new free ride.)

In short, Europe needs Russia to come in to Western Europe and save it from America.

Which is why French defense minister Michèle Alliot-Marie is in Moscow right now, trying to talk up the idea. Russia can supply the troops, France can supply the commanders and the wisdom. Western Europe will finally be liberated from oppressive and cruel American military occupation through the agency of the friendly and solicitous Russian Army.

I do rather wonder just how this idea is going to play in places like Prague and Warsaw and Bucharest, who have a somewhat different opinion of the Russians than the French evidently have.