Declan Ganley, FPRI and keeping Europe down

The connection is confirmed that the “Ganley order” for Europe is about the maintenance of the American hegemon- and the European project could be in danger because of it…

It is know that Declan Ganley is associated with the Foreign Policy Research Institute out of Philadelphia. A glance at this website reveals that it is the same old American realist notions about foreign policy and the Neocon notion of maintaining “American interests” as American dominance, including the continuance of the NATO ball and chain and justifying this through the “need” to prevent a European power (most often quoted as Germany) from being able to “become a hegemon” and to “scare its neighbors.” Forget the notions of “lack of democracy” and “accountability” and the like statements by Ganley, as this is actually about what is a frightening prospect to Neocon think tanks on the Western side of the Atlantic and their supporters in Europe: the prospect of a European superpower.

Hence – the case has been made – and now proven – that the underlining purpose of the Ganley’s Irish “no” crusade is to prevent Europe from acquiring the tools that would enable it to become its own independent actor – namely in defense and security- through permanent cooperation structures. The maintenance of the “unipolar moment,” no “rival challengers” doctrine (including the European superpower), defending “the special relationship” between the US-UK (from encroachment by “Brussels”), and of course, “to keep the Russians out, the Americans in and the Europeans down.”

It is VERY debatable that the removal of America, American forces and NATO from European security would lead to dominance of the continent by Germany or any other power in a fashion that lead to bloody world wars of the past. As I argued in my essay, this “prevent the hegemon” through an American hegemon is an excuse that, in part, ignores the role that the European Union plays as a security community. This American structural realist-rational actor point of view fails to conceive of the new Europe as different from the old Europe.

Also – the prevention of an independent from NATO European security architecture for the European Union that would take the place of NATO would have the effect of creating a security community by and for Europeans that would clip the wings of would be hegemon. It starts by building confidence and security guarantees continent-wide for European nation. Part of an independent European security and defense identity could include addressing the unlikely prospect of a security problem from a European Union Member State. (See the Lisbon Treaty’s Section II on Common Security and Defense policy). Given what we have witnessed over the past few years, Europeans can be trusted with military power for more than Americans can –and a European superpower as a counter to the US would make prospects for a more just and peaceful world better.

We know that the Lisbon Treaty will frame an ESDI that will, hopeful, be independent of NATO and America – one way or the other! We should hope for some competition of ideas in the international community with regard to poverty, environment, human rights and security challenges where the European Union does, indeed rival the United States. Also, it is hoped, at least by me, that the European Union would bring to the international context the idea of the social market, its social policies, especially social inclusion, respect for human dignity of ALL people, defense industry competition, data privacy respect, sensible and reasonable anti-terrorism and crime control strategies – which could rival the view of the United States. This is a good thing – not a bad thing – for the international community.

The final completion of the European project and the fulfillment of the Schuman Declaration cannot be had for Europe’s peaceful future unless the spirit of “coal and steel” of especially France and Germany are tied together. This means in military and defense too, and it means military and defense without the American hegemon and American meddling in European affairs. This requires work and cooperation on the part of Europeans to build a peaceful, cooperative and secure Europe that in totally independent of the dominance of third countries. This is important for the peace and security of the whole world beyond Europe.

Read the following essay from European Unification and Transatlantic Relations: A View from Germany by Holger Mey from Ganley’s FPRI.