There have always been two benchmarks of genuine "European" identity: a single currency that would make the claim to economic union a reality, and a military force that could backstop the group's foreign-policy pretensions. The currency debuted on Jan. 1, 1999, and has had a difficult time ever since. The military force moved a step closer to reality this week when the 15 European Union members pledged the troops and hardware that will make up its Rapid Reaction Force. Now the EU must demonstrate the political will needed to make the RRF a reality.
Although Europeans had discussed a shared military since the early days of the Cold War, they were content to leave the real work to NATO. But the EU's growing political influence forced European leaders to think more seriously about an independent force. Political pronouncements without the means to back them up undermined the group's credibility.
At the EU summit that was held in Helsinki last December, they decided to form a force of 60,000 troops that would be ready by 2003 to enter hot spots within 60 days and remain in place for at least a year. In practical terms, that requires a total force three times that number. At a meeting earlier this week in Brussels, European officials pledged 100,000 troops, 400 combat aircraft and 100 ships.