During his final visit to Europe in a farewell tour marking the end of his time in the White House, outgoing president Barack Obama sought to address concerns over president-elect Donald Trump and reassure nervous allies that his successor would remain fully committed to Nato.
Writing in the London-based pan-Arab newspaper Al Hayat, columnist Mustafa Zein said Mr Obama had purposely delivered his speech at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens as the ancient site symbolises Greek civilisation, democracy and the pride of the European continent. Mr Obama’s selection of the site indicates that the United States is part of the developed world despite the election of an anti-establishment person to the post of president.
“Or perhaps he did so to apologise on behalf of Americans for this event that was seen by Europeans as catastrophic to strong transatlantic ties. It’s this understanding that led them to start seeking alternatives, including an army of their own. Moreover, Donald Trump declared that Nato members would have to pay for Washington’s protection,” Zein wrote.
“As Trump embarks on the process of filling his cabinet, the names on his list do not reassure the friends of the United States.”
The writer considered the fears of Europeans to be justified.
“For the past 100 years – marked by events such as the First World War, the Second World War, the Marshall Plan, the fight against the Soviet Union and communism and the war against terrorism – they have got used to having a saviour.
“Nato was formed as a defence umbrella and Washington has been its guardian, inheriting its colonies,” he said.
According to the writer, it no longer matters to Europeans that Mr Obama has declared from Acropolis that Nato is the strongest alliance in the world, that it is readier than ever and that it is the alliance of democratic countries.
“Obama’s call to rectify the course of globalisation is no longer important. Nor is his belief that inequality leads to isolation or affirmation that the world is in need of a democratic Europe more than ever,” Zein concluded.
Writing in the London-based pan-Arab daily Asharq Al Awsat, Lebanese columnist Rajeh Al Khoury said the dark clouds over Nato did not appear following the victory of Mr Trump, who repeatedly talked in his election campaign about the need for America’s European partners to increase their spending on defence.
“Before him Obama, who reassured the Europeans on Tuesday that Trump would commit to America’s obligations towards its strategic alliances, had called upon European partners to increase their contribution to Nato’s funds,” Al Khoury wrote.
“Ever since, France, Germany, Italy and Belgium have been seeking to form a security alliance that would form the base of a strategic independence without contradicting Nato’s role as a US-led strategic wall.
“At the beginning of the week and following marathon meetings in Brussels, the ministers of foreign affairs and defence of the 28 EU member countries have agreed to a defence plan that might enable the EU to send rapid response forces abroad for the first time, out of the Nato context.
“Federica Mogherini, the EU’s foreign-policy chief, had been working for months before the US election on the formulation of the defence plan, although she made sure to declare following the Brussels talks that the plan did not mean the formation of a European army nor would it be in competition or overlap Nato’s mission.”
According to the writer, Mr Trump’s election campaign and victory have caused concern among Nato partners who were slowly considering the formation of a “Schengen for defence” that would unite the European security initiative.
“It is obvious that Trump’s hint that the US might not protect Nato members, coupled with his flirtation with Vladimir Putin who is under European sanctions, has led to the approval of the European defence plan,” Al Khoury noted.
“When Trump’s victory looked like it would cause a rift in the historic alliance between the United States and European countries, Obama reminded Trump that Europe was America’s biggest economic partner and that their integration was one of the greatest political and economic achievements of modern times, which benefits the EU, the US as well as the rest of the world.”
Whether this will remain the same will depends on the steps Mr Trump takes, he said.
*Translated by Carla Mirza
cmirza@thenational.ae
