I have just watched a webinar with the esteemed defense minister of Portugal mr. João Gomes Cravinho.
Thank you for a nice reference to Hans Christian Andersen the loved fairy taler of Denmark.
The question of the seminar was; how do we envision the defense of Europe in the future in the light of the transatlantic relation and the other issues that pester the European main continent.
First of all, one has to consider the main question in all earnesty.
The Mediterranean. The Mediterranean has been and is the main problem of Europe right now.
That is obvious, just to name a few of the problems; Turkey, migrants and the conflicts in Africa that seem to spill into Europe.
Now, the main issue is migration. This issue has been very poisonous for a long time, and will be for much more time.
The problems in Europe are many; massive problems with intercultural conflicts often of a horrendous level. Just to mention a few; the killing of the writers of Charlie Hebdo, the killing of a member of my own union the Vilks committee and a rise in crime all over Western Europe.
Add to this massive problems in the islands of Greece, and the poisonous fight with Turkey.
Now Covid 19 has bought us a reprieve from these issues, but that will not last forever.
So, how do we go about seeing this issue.
First of all, I believe, we need to understand the shift of opinion on war. Ten years ago, diplomacy was the only option between European allies and enemies. Even in the relationship with Turkey, that is a vehement enemy of mainstream European identity, the only option has been diplomacy and we have bought peace with money.
Now, why have we done so? It was because we were war weary due to the atrocities and destruction in the second and first world wars.
Two wars that brought immense destruction to European mainland due to its mechanistic component. Mechanization brought mass killing to the table.
So, things change, and now the Second World War is so far away, and hardly remembered by the new generations, so a more aggressive stance in politics of war is acceptable by the populace at large, in fact a lot of the problems that the mainstream political forces have had in the last ten years, have been a discrepancy between the will of the European people and the will of the political life.
Because as while the politician were busy building the European Union, essentially a Second World War project, the general populace left all the horrors of the Second World War, and wanted to fight again.
That realization is something that the politicians need to condsider. Just look at the Italian defense minister mr. Salvini he was enormously popular in Italy, why? Because he wanted to fight the migrant streams, that are essentially breaking down Europe from within.
Now, you can have many opinions on the matter, and to be honest, I am not one of the hawks, I believe in a balanced approach to the issue, mixing diplomacy with intervention.
But, not recognizing the shift in public opinion would be essentially hazardous to the whole enterprise.
So my essential advice to mr. Cravinho would be, to find a more aggressive stance towards Turkey, and find a way, with diplomacy as well as intervention to stop the migration.
Fighting with Turkey is a viable option, and partnering up with Russia in this area is also an option. But finding a way to do it, is the important question to address.
The rest will flow from that, a professional and aggressive yet diplomatic stance in the Mediterranean will give the European armed forces the credibility it needs to further develop its scope.
Here I sincerely believe that mr. Cravinho is suited to the task, he seems professional and able. So good luck with the priorities.
Fix the problems in the Mediterranean and you will have a great star in the halls of all Europeans.
G-d bless the will to do good and fix things before they get out of hand.