I remember President Macron of France call for a European Army back in 2018. His call was soon joined by the then German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. Trump, as American President, delivered a rambling rebuke on Twitter. He did so, while bemoaning the overly large US military investment into NATO and European security.
The thing is, President Macon’s call had a valid logic to it, based on the large US military-presence to support NATO allies in Europe. Fast forward to 2024, through years of hybrid warfare, and societal meddling by Russia. We can also add scaled fringe-group expansions for reasons honest folk dare not think of.
From Terror to Valor: Echoes and Shadows, available at your favorite digital bookstore
Those risks are now actual threats, as Trump sets to take the White House for a second time. European security via MILEX-24 sees the foundation in principle of a European Army, with exercises ongoing during the year. Next up as a priority should be an EU Intelligence Agency, who chooses her trusted partners carefully.
European Security Requires Upgrade To Intelligence Capacity
Trust is a fickle beast, and in the shadow war, a rare commodity. Intelligence sharing has been a hit and miss affair among allies outside of the 5 eyes alliance. Now, it is a necessity given the continuing success of Russian hybrid warfare campaigns.
Given the Euro Army concept coincided with Trump’s belittling of Europe on its own security, a pan EU intelligence agency is now a key requirement. Thankfully, it did not take a Trump rant to bring this pan-EU intelligence concept into focus. Former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö is now a special advisor to the European Commission.
His October 30th, 2024 report calls for a pan EU intelligence agency as part of a holistic overhaul of European security. The concept of intelligence sharing among nations targeted on a pan-European basis is not only wise, it is necessary. Too many times, multiple countries enduring hybrid warfare attacks are at a manifest disadvantage from a single transnational campaign.
Russia’s proliferation in European societal affairs now requires a societal response on a pan-European basis. The EU’s leaky executive arm is just one of many reasons that national intelligence agencies are afraid to share. Sauli Niinistö’s report cites issues such as internal security for the EU Executive branch, which needs to be addressed before heading into the main design phase of any new intelligence agency.
Is NATO and an EU Army Duplication?
NATO has a long-standing title of democracy defender, and thus a de facto protector of Europe as a whole. Given the hard to miss political instability in the United States, NATO’s role from now on needs to be questioned. Trump org has already shown brazen contempt for long-standing allied relationships.
While NATO grapples with the fallout of Trump org’s effective subversion of US democracy, the question of trust becomes a priority for European nations with long-standing and embedded relationships with the United States. The following 24 months will be telling for the small cohort of threats Trump will actually carry out.
It’s a mistake to think these brazen threats are just sabre rattling to impress their indoctrinated supporters. Their agenda is based in the shadows of hybrid warfare, their intent is real, and their arrogance has used an issue buried by European politicians for generations. Essentially, whatever form of action taken by Trump will require a European security upgrade in response.
European Security Coming of Age
Since World War 2, European security has been contingent on US military investment, along with US military embedding in Europe. We should have grown up by now, but we have not. Europe needs an EU Army, and NATO affiliation for interested nations. An EU Army will bind protection for non NATO members, secure EU borders in an ever deteriorating threat landscape, and counter US aggression should Trump org subvert the security forces of the United States.
These core security aspects require new modelling to extend below the threshold of warfare, which needs a specialist pan European intelligence agency. Russia and her like-minded public/private partners have forced us to develop new solutions to old security structures. For Europe, it must be outside of NATO, yet will complement NATO’s military strike capabilities as we guard the home front of their key members.
About the Author
John is a versatile author known for his gripping fiction narratives in the thriller, action, and suspense genres. With a background as a journalist since 2016, and expertise in cloud technologies as an engineer; John brings a unique blend of storytelling prowess and technical acumen to his work.
