The end of the US-led “forever war” in Afghanistan will not bring peace, because the methods that countries use to attack each other have changed. The world has entered a new age of perpetual competition among powerful states.
Hand-wringing over Europe’s supposed failure to step up in Afghanistan ignores the fact that Europeans were principally there to support the US
By engaging with the Strategic Compass, Poland can help ensure that the EU’s defence initiatives complement those of NATO and develop in line with Polish interests
Italy can play an active role in shaping European defence policy – if it avoids getting distracted by its internal political tribulations
The UK will have to decide how involved it wants to be in EU defence efforts. It seems likely that the country’s aim will be to have flexible structures that allow it to plug into European foreign and defence policy where doing so is in its interests.
No matter who wins the US election, the EU will need to play a bigger security role in its neighbourhood