A sharp-edged piece by James Rogers at European Geostrategy on what Cathy Ashton’s recent Budapest speech tell us about the EU’s vision of itself, or not:

"The strength of the EU lies, paradoxically, in its inability to throw its weight around. Its influence flows from the fact that it is disinterested in its support for democracy, development and the rule of law. It can be an honest broker – but backed up by diplomacy, aid and great expertise"

What? Like in the Caucasus and North Africa? Or, previously, in the former Yugoslavia? Should our willingness to allow whole countries to fall apart or get invaded – countries in our own neighbourhood – really be seen as our ‘strength’?

Is it not because Brussels (and the Member States) has been so ‘disinterested’ in its support for constitutional government abroad that its policies have been so ineffective?

Mrs. Ashton should perhaps express a little more humility here, particularly in light of recent events. If anything, given the turmoil in the eastern neighbourhood in August 2008 and the southern neighbourhood now – in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya – far from ‘great expertise’ among European diplomats and strategists, there seems to be a certain lack of it!

This is excellent and perceptive:

Of course, it is desirable for foreign countries to admire us. But, as Thucydides taught us in the Melian Dialogue, they must also fear us. As the Athenians told the Melians: ‘Your hatred is evidence of our power!’

So if foreign leaders tell us that they want to be our partners, they may also be telling us that we are not relevant, while they actively and consciously re-enforce our own illusions.

…let us be clear here, there is one thing that foreign powers do not want: they do not want the European Union to be effective, because they know full well that – should it ever come together as an integrated political unit – it would have the capacity and power to prevent them from doing what they might otherwise want to do.

After all, the first rule of the political is to divide your opponents, and then rule them (or, keep them weak by encouraging them to believe in their own fantasies, particularly when those fantasies serve your own agenda, i.e. hegemony)

What does all this remind me of?

A place of luxuriant carrots. Of unscary twigs, not nasty sticks.

Somewhere soft, untroubled … somewhere safe … comforting. 

Bambiland.