Without the United States, Europe would have to rely on its own military might

When the Kabul airport was evacuated, Europe as a whole relied on the United States. When the Americans left, the Europeans had to stop taking people who wanted to leave the country. Europe cannot accomplish any level of work on its own.

The EU now wants to set up an intervention force of 5,000 rapidly deploying troops. The Dutch government has rightly expressed its support for this.

Of course, many warnings can be made about this project. The US defeat in Afghanistan once again shows how difficult it is for even the most powerful country in the world to intervene anywhere. The question arises as to whether the EU, a coalition of 27 sovereign nations, is decisive enough to send an intervention force quickly in its path. EU member states need to invest more in security to prove credible military strength. Previous ideas for a European intervention force were never fulfilled.

But the sense of urgency is stronger than in previous decades. Europe has felt its impact as a prosperous continent close to the tropics of Africa and Asia. Relations with Russia are strained and the migration crisis on Belarus’ border shows just how easily the EU can be pushed out of the East.

Less than before, Europeans can count on the natural support of the United States. Americans have turned their attention to China and Asia. If Donald Trump or the associated Republican Party returns to the White House in 2024, the rift between the United States and Europe is likely to increase.

In this context, the EU is forced to stand on its own two feet, or, as European leaders say, to achieve ‘strategic autonomy’. This will not happen overnight: for now, Europe will depend on the United States militarily and technically. But in an increasingly insecure world, Europe must develop its own strength to defend its way of life. With all the skepticism that can be understood, a European intervention force is an important step towards strategic autonomy.