Summit for nothing

It looks like the EU summit today will do nowt but bluster. Perhaps they will agree to keep relations under review.

It's depressing. Russia has effectively called the EU’s bluff – it seems the EU will not react to the invasion of Georgia in any substantial way.

The EU members won’t intervene, won’t launch sanctions, and won’t set a timetable for Georgia to join the EU or NATO. In terms of post war aid, the EU is being outspent forty to one by the Russians (see post below).

There is no point in the EU trying to present itself as a superpower if it is going to behave like a useless jellyfish every time there is a real crisis.



Nonetheless, despite the EU's trouncing by Russia here, the Europhiles still have their heads in the clouds.

Liberation's blog suggests that the crisis is an opportunity to develop a common European identity:

Aujourd’hui, l’Union n’a ni les instruments théoriques, ni les moyens militaires pour intervenir sur un théâtre extérieur ou même pour assurer sa propre défense. Le choix qui se pose désormais à l’Union est brutal : la soumission ou l’affirmation de sa puissance, aucun État pris isolément n’ayant les capacités de résister aux ennemis d’aujourd’hui et de demain. De ce point de vue, on peut considérer que le mois d’août 2008 va peut-être permettre aux citoyens européens de prendre conscience qu’il y a « eux » et « nous », de se forger ainsi une identité européenne.

Translation: "Perhaps August 2008 will make it possible for European citizens to become aware that there is a “them” and an “us”, and thus to forge a European identity."

*Sigh*

Perhaps - in the words of the French Institute of Foreign Affairs - the EU really is on the "exit ramp of history".