David Cameron sounds the (heroic) charge...

(BRUSSELS2) British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to sound the bugle at the entrance to the European Council which starts this afternoon in Brussels. It's "no" to Defense Europe. During a surprise visit by British troops to Afghanistan on Monday (December 16), David Cameron said to himself “ready to block a greater role for the European Union in the coordination of defense policy”. At 10 Downing street (the Prime Minister's residence), there are fears "that an EU move undermines NATO".

The Member States in the first row, NATO in the second 

British officials want to send a clear message by this: the European Union must not " interfere » in the field of defence, a competence of the Member States. And if there is an organization competent to do so, it is NATO and not the EU which must coordinate this policy. “The role of the EU's common security and defense policy, set up four years ago, should be based on state action » recalls a British source, close to the Prime Minister, our colleagues the with the BBC. “NATO is the foundation of our collective defence. Any EU action should be complementary, but not duplicate it”. A statement that confirms the paper published by the British in London several weeks ago (details in the Club. Read: NATO the cornerstone, Europe the toe (Lidington)

Comments (Nicolas Gros-Verheyde): Old fantasies and realities

Cameron under pressure. The charge of David Cameron appears, above all, as a coup de theater destined for the national scene. For several months, the government has been under pressure from national MPs - Conservatives and Labor alike - who denounce the cuts in the defense budget. The traditionally eurosceptic fiber of a good part of the electorate does the rest. " Cameron is held hostage by his tabloid press - confirms to B2 several regulars of European meetings at the Summit. “Each sentence is "overinterpreted" and gives rise to old fantasies loved by the British such as: "the Commission will fly drones" or "José-Manuel Barroso will pilot a fleet in the Mediterranean". The Prime Minister “is caught in the trap of the debate launched on the competences of Europe but also of realities. »

More concrete realities. British industry is, in fact, caught in the same “trap” of budgetary restriction as its continental counterparts, even if its traditional links with US industry cushion the shock. And the British army is only a shadow of itself. No more than any European army, the Royal Air Force like the Royal Navy will not be able to carry out an overseas operation tomorrow without the help of some (Americans) or others (French and Europeans).

A little fuss. So, for want of anything better, Cameron is showing off. He will be able to discuss each paragraph or certain subjects by posting "red lines", as already - according to our information - the British ambassador had done during a reading session of the conclusions. But, except surprise, that will be all. The British Prime Minister will be able - after the summit - to boast of having obtained that Europe takes shelter behind NATO. If necessary, one or two mentions of the Atlantic Alliance could be added. While the arrival of AF Rasmussen, the Secretary General of NATO at the European summit - already planned - will be put forward to demonstrate that the role of NATO is safeguarded.

For our part, we will be grateful to David for having brought a little animation to a debate that promised to be gloomy...