EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU military chiefs are nervous that their advice will not carry the same weight once the new Lisbon Treaty is in place and that the planned diplomatic service will not contain enough experienced military personnel. Europe's chiefs of defence gathered in Brussels on Wednesday (4 November) to review all military operations under the EU flag and to witness the handover of power from outgoing EU military committee chair, Frenchman Henri Bentegeat, to Sweden's Hakan Syren.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU military chiefs are nervous that their advice will not carry the same weight once the new Lisbon Treaty is in place and that the planned diplomatic service will not contain enough experienced military personnel.
Europe's chiefs of defence gathered in Brussels on Wednesday (4 November) to review all military operations under the EU flag and to witness the handover of power from outgoing EU military committee chair, Frenchman Henri Bentegeat, to Sweden's Hakan Syren.
Somebody with a uniform fetish needs to be fired. keep to the Fen Causeway
the planned diplomatic service will not contain enough experienced military personnel.
Maybee im missing some detail thats obvious to Serious people, but, erm, dont we want say, people with skills in things like talking to people, working as diplomats, rather than people whise primary skills lie in shooting, stabbing and blowing up their neighbouring human beings? Surely one ot the biggest arguments in Diplomacy is "If we dont sort this out like reasonable people, then we have to resort to the knuckle dragging lumpswho we keep in the cupboard at the back for when things get stupid, and they break the crockery and mess up the garden, so best if we can talk it out first" So you keep the miliatry away from the negotiating tables unless its really necessary. Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
Once in force on 1 December, the Lisbon Treaty will merge the current military planning unit with a civilian one and fold all operational and planning divisions into the diplomatic service, due to be fully up and running by 2012. The military chiefs will no longer report to the rotating EU presidency, but directly to the new EU foreign minister, who will also be a vice-president of the European Commission. The EU's future top diplomat - British foreign secretary David Miliband is still favourite to get the job - will also have the power to propose missions abroad and to "ensure co-ordination of the civilian and military aspects" of these missions. The military chiefs said they want to maintain the "high professionalism" and "rigour" of their structure, and to make sure their advice is still taken into account once they are part of the large new diplomatic service, known formally as the European External Action Service (EEAS).
Once in force on 1 December, the Lisbon Treaty will merge the current military planning unit with a civilian one and fold all operational and planning divisions into the diplomatic service, due to be fully up and running by 2012.
The military chiefs will no longer report to the rotating EU presidency, but directly to the new EU foreign minister, who will also be a vice-president of the European Commission.
The EU's future top diplomat - British foreign secretary David Miliband is still favourite to get the job - will also have the power to propose missions abroad and to "ensure co-ordination of the civilian and military aspects" of these missions.
The military chiefs said they want to maintain the "high professionalism" and "rigour" of their structure, and to make sure their advice is still taken into account once they are part of the large new diplomatic service, known formally as the European External Action Service (EEAS).
Concern trolling. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
