Long-standing readers may recall that, about a year ago, I wrote a couple of posts about the need for the EU to get involved in stabilizing Iraq in the window of stability offered by the Surge. (What’s that you say, oh long-standing readers? You have no recollection of this? The posts are here, here and here, and related op-eds here and here).
Now, this argument didn’t exactly change the face of the Middle East, but it did start to seep out among the policy wonks back in Europe. Whereas a year ago, arguing for EU engagement in Iraq was roughly equivalent to professional cyanide, it’s now quite respectable. After all, both Nicolas Sarkozy and the German Foreign Minister have popped over to Baghdad this month. Sadly, M. Sarkozy didn’t have a chance to stand on a tank this time, but he looked positively Napoleonic behind his podium:
Taking trips to Iraq is one thing – having a policy is another. What should the EU do? The Heinrich Boell Stiftung published a collection of essays on Europe and Iraq this week, and Daniel and I have contributed an article to this. Daniel summarizes the case over on the ECFR website:
A new EU strategy should focus on: entrenching good governance, especially in the security sector; and investing in a framework for regional stability. Specifically, the EU should strengthen the EU Rule of Law Mission in Iraq, with a particular emphasis on police governance and strategic planning for Iraqi police; Europeanize the existing NATO military/gendarmerie mission in Iraq; and combine these two missions into one European ESDP mission, and add a third pillar dealing with border management and security. A senior EU envoy should be appointed to head this mission as well as an expanded Commission office in Baghdad.
A sign you’ve had a good idea is that someone else has just had it too, and FRIDE has published a good paper promoting similar ideas. I think that they have a medium-to-good chance of getting traction, not least because Swedish FM Carl Bildt has long favored a stronger EU role in Iraq, and Sweden will have the EU presidency from July. Watch out for the circle of golden stars fluttering over Tikrit and Najaf soon!
