European Geostrategy | 20:25, 12 August 2009
By James Rogers
This new map has recently been produced and published on the website of the Council of the European Union:
It charts every European civilian mission and military operation since 2003. What is interesting is that the missions and operations have slowly spread outwards from the Western Balkans, which was the initial birthplace of the European Security and Defence Policy.
Clearly, as the European Union’s confidence as an international power and security actor has grown, it has gradually extended its geostrategic reach deeper into Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean.
At this rate, I wonder how the map will look in 2019? If the world order takes a turn for the worse, and if the Treaty of Lisbon comes into effect – with all its provisions for the enhancement of the European Union’s foreign, security and defence policies – I suspect the map will be literally covered, possibly with even a few operations in Central and Southeast Asia!
