Hujjat al-Islam Ebrahimi:‎

Strategic disagreements between the US and Europe have begun

Rasa – A researcher and scholar in the Islamic Seminary of Qom said, “France, with its proposal to ‎form a European Army, has beat the drums of separation from the United states and pushed the ‎country towards global isolation.”

News ID: 441666

Date: 23 November 2018 - 10:31

RNA – In an interview with France’s Europe 1 radio on November 6th, French President Emmanuel ‎Macron said, “Considering [The President of the United States, Donald] Trump’s plan to withdraw ‎from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), we call for the formation of a ‎‎‘true European army.’”‎

Macron added, “We will not protect the Europeans unless we decide to have a true European army. ‎Europe must defend itself with a true solution without depending on the United States.”‎
These statements by the French president were welcomed by some of the leaders of the European ‎Union and on the other hand, they were attacked by President Trump and members of his ‎administration.

Hujjat al-Islam Aref Ebrahimi, a researcher and scholar in the Islamic Seminary of Qom, referred to ‎some of the goals of the formation of a European army and the causes of the stubborn opposition by ‎the United States.‎

The reasons for the agreement of the European heads of state in regard to the formation ‎of a united army of the countries of Europe include:

‎1.‎ The insane, unlawful and uncustomary practices of Donald Trump since he became the ‎president of the United States, including his withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of ‎Action (JCPOA), the Paris Agreement on climate change, his threats to launch a massive trade ‎war against Europe and his criticism of the weak financial contributions of the European Union ‎in support of NATO. ‎

‎2.‎ France’s efforts to strengthen the multipolar system in the world.‎

3.‎ The dictatorial actions, along with the insults by many American officials, especially Trump, ‎towards European countries, are such that Trump treats some European countries like one of ‎their states.‎

4.‎ The uncoordinated actions of the United States in regard to international events and the ‎payment of the costs of these actions from the pockets of European countries.‎

‎5.‎ Trump’s benefit-seeking and the European Union’s lack of payment in their contributions to ‎joint projects. ‎

‎6.‎ NATO’s policy and legislation mechanism is in a way that it allows the United States to ‎prioritize its interests, which has led to dissatisfaction among European countries.‎

‎7.‎ The difference between the economic and security interests of the European Union and the ‎United States.‎

8.‎ Unwillingness to compromise and the belligerence of the United States.‎

‎9.‎ The unwillingness of France and other European countries to comply with the demands and ‎policies of the United States.‎

The reason for opposition by American leaders to the formation of a united European ‎military:‎

1.‎ The United States considers itself to be the saviour of Europe during the First and Second ‎World Wars and therefore, the European Union must fully support American policies.‎

2.‎ The United States is afraid of its declining power globally, therefore it uses every means and ‎pretexts possible in pursuit of protecting its international standing, and if a country, even one ‎if its allies and friends, wants to take steps in contradiction to this issue, they will face the ‎strong anger of the United States.‎

‎3.‎ The decline of NATO’s power is another cause of American opposition to the formation of a ‎European Army. ‎

‎4.‎ The United States has carried out many projects through NATO and now if it wants to leave ‎this military organization, it will not be able to stand and compete with powerful countries ‎such as China and Russia.‎

‎5.‎ The United States knows well that with the formation of a European Army, it loses its ‎dominance and hegemony and is on a verge of isolation.‎

‎6.‎ The separation of the European Union from the United States in the military sphere will lead ‎to a conflict of interests but also the beginning of a Third World War.‎

7.‎ With the formation of a European Army, it is anticipated that the United States will lose many ‎of its allies and that third world countries, especially those in the Middle East, will incline ‎toward Europe.‎

8.‎ The economy of the United States is being hit hard by this issue and its arms contracts with ‎various countries will face serious challenges‏.‏

Conclusion

The United States’ policies over the past few years, especially during the Trump presidency, have been ‎such that European countries have felt that their interests are no longer being provided. On this ‎basis, before the United States treats Europe as one of its states. European countries are trying to ‎resolve this issue by forming a united army. This decision has serious challenges for the hegemony of ‎the United States. ‎

At the end of this article, it is necessary to note that the formation of an allied army from the ‎European Union, although it puts the hegemony of the United States under question and is like a tool ‎against the excesses of the United States, but, in turn, it can serve as a tool for war and domination ‎by Europe, a policy that the United States is currently implementing. It can be said that the actions of ‎the Europeans are somewhat contradictory because a new form of domination will be created to ‎combat domination, while only non-Western countries will suffer.‎

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