The usefulness of military force = humanitarianism!

(BRUSSELS2) It was Tuesday noon at the EU military committee. The High Representative, Cathy Ashton, had come to take part in the lunch with the various Chiefs of Staff of the Member States of the EU. In other words, the European military gratin. Believing to do well no doubt (let's be optimistic :-)), she praises the usefulness of force. " The main use of military force is in humanitarian military operations, as was the presence of a hospital ship in Haiti “, she says (in essence) according to remarks that have been reported to me. Consternation around the table... Needless to say that the officers did not dare say anything, but were somewhat flabbergasted by this exit, which is neither more nor less than the translation of a reduction in the strategic ambitions of the European Union. We knew that the High Representative had no ambition in terms of CSDP. We didn't know it was a persistent gap...