Legitimacy in Europe

Abstract

Views of what creates legitimacy for the use of force differ in Europe and in the USA, as we have indicated. But also within Europe there are differing views. On the Kosovo intervention, the USA and Europe agreed, but with regard to Iraq, there were major differences within Europe. The UK especially developed an argumentation for both interventions, as will be discussed in the next chapter on the USA and the use of force. In this chapter we focus on the EU as the key security actor in Europe — one that is still in the making, but that is developing its own basis for legitimate intervention.

State collapse has resulted in ‘new wars’ in Africa, the Balkans, Central Asia and the Caucasus… they call into question the distinctions between ‘human rights violations’ by states, ‘abuses’ by non-state actors, and ‘conflict’ between armed combatants: battles are rare and most violence is inflicted on civilians.

Barcelona Report: A Human Security Doctrine for Europe: 8

The EU as an international norms promoter rather than a superpower is less threatening to non-European states and offers a pole around which support could be built in multilateral fora such as the UN. This is why international law is so important.

Ibid.: 17