Search results

The vote against the Constitution is the sign of a lack of adjustment to today's world & of a crisis of decision-making in all democratic countries. Has the European process reached the point of no return? Although a new start is far from assured, there is a 'demand for Europe', mainly in the fields where the European Union has so far been ineffective: making Europe's voice heard in international crises, acting in favour of peace & development. On this path we will run into two difficulties: the consequences of enlargement & the inadequacy of institutional mechanisms. 'Enhanced cooperation' will allow us to go forward, while giving the European architecture a somewhat baroque appearance. This method is not applicable for foreign policy in which, for a long time, we shall have to make do with ad hoc measures & pretences, which will accentuate the baroque character of the system. Adapted from the source document.

War has come to be a central feature of the political reactions, as well as of the strategy & legal concepts, employed by the United States to wage the global struggle against international terrorism. Calling the fight against terrorism a 'war' entails some major drawbacks. First, the use of the word 'war' gives unwarranted status & legitimacy to the adversary. Second, it exaggerates the role of military operations in fighting global terrorism. Third, the United States bent both its internal judicial rules & international law to accommodate the concept of war on terror. Fourth, the connection drawn by the Americans between the war on terrorism & the concept of preventive war has worried the United States' partners & undermined the anti-terrorist coalition. Fifth, the linkage with the war against Iraq has aggravated the problem, while heightening anti-Western & anti-American feeling in the Middle East & the Islamic world. Finally, the 'war on terror' has detracted from the consideration of some urgent political problems that fuel Middle East terrorism. Adapted from the source document.

The Iraqi crisis has broken the historical continuity between Atlantic solidarity and European integration. In these circumstances, the countries of central and eastern Europe have supported the American position and marked their distance with the Franco-German couple. However, this attitude was made possible by the division of the current members of the European Union. Only their rekindled unity around clear positions and attitudes of community loyalty could fend off the attempts to divide Europe that the United States will probably continue to develop beyond the current crisis. Adapted from the source document.