Strategic Pretence or Strategic Defence?

Britain, France and the Common Security and Defence Policy After Libya

The Libyan imbroglio demonstrated the best and the worst of both the Anglo-French entente and the EU. With genocide looming in Benghazi and the EU paralysed by internal division, London and Paris together took the lead to build a coalition. However, coalitions are the antithesis of alliances and unions, and the fact that Britain and France had to step outside both EU and NATO frameworks demonstrates the extent of the fragility of European strategic “consensus”, particularly in the European Union.

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