European Security Strategy

The establishment of the European Union (EU) solidified a united political, economic, and defensive front creating a Supranational Organization (Lucas, 1999, no page). With the assistance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United States, the EU has developed a comprehensive security strategy responsible for leading the coalition’s objectives for mutual solidarity, global stabilization, and defense. To address security threats both regionally and globally set forth by the European Security Strategy (ESS), considerations were developed which encompass both cultural domains of geography and development.

The integration of independent states through organizations such as the United Nations, the EU and NATO have transformed the capabilities of the global community to establish international financial institutions, global sanctions, and treaties for common defense across multiple borders. Though these advancements have helped to achieve greater global unity, globalization has created many challenges for both defensive and financial stability. Globalization has made geographically separated threats a cause for European concern. Belligerent actions by North Korea, violence in South Asia, the ‘Arab Spring’ and conflicts in the Middle East; in addition to numerous failed states and militant non-state actors drive a financial, political, and often military response from developed nations. The inability of failed states and developing countries to establish a lawful order creates numerous human rights, security, and political issues for the EU to resolve (ESS, 2003, 8). As stated in the ESS, “Since 1990, almost 4 million people have died in wars, 90% of them civilians. Over 18 million people worldwide have lef...

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...ge number) If not continually addressed, these issues will disrupt the progress of the region, and provide opportunities for corruption, human rights violations, and a growth in organized crime leading to extremism, terrorism, and failed states (Solana, 2003, 11).

By analyzing the European Security Strategy through the lens of cultural domains, Geography, and Development the EU must continue to support global initiatives by engaging security issues at the economic and cultural levels. With the expansion of globalization, the world’s security challenges cannot be disregarded due to distance, but instead must be recognized as interlinked across many geographical boards. To combat these issues there will be a continual and dynamic need to analyze the effects of globalization and regional issues, and their impacts on cultures and governments around the world.