On December 2, nato hands over command of the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia to the European Union. The mission consists of 7,000 men and is the largest military mission the EU has led by far.
To many, this event may not seem significant. Maj. Gen. David Leakey, commander of the new EU force, has served in the nato force in Bosnia previously. In fact, on December 2, 80 percent of the troops in the nato force will “simply change the insignia on their uniforms” (Irish Times, November 4). According to Deutsche Welle, the EU “will sort of ‘borrow’ personnel and equipment from nato” (September 17).
How is this event significant? The question is not one of military presence, but of political power. As the EU’s special representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lord Ashdown, put it, “It is scarcely possible to overestimate the significance of this operation …. For Bosnia, it marks a milestone on the route from war toward peace stabilization and eventually joining the European Union. … It’s the biggest, most important realization of the common European foreign and security policy. It has to succeed because, upon this, the whole of the rest of the policy will be based” (bbc News, October 23).
Ever since Europe, led by Germany, used the U.S. and nato to muscle its way into the Balkans, this magazine has been declaring that this is all prophecy being fulfilled! As our editor in chief wrote in the March-April 2003 issue, “Most of this conquering was accomplished with U.S. military power. But it is Germany and the European Union that are taking control of the former Yugoslavia. … They have a dangerous global ambition. … Germany is leading the EU. Now it has an area (former Yugoslavia) to test and build its military—relatively unnoticed by the world. … [T]he EU uses nato planning and assets—mostly U.S.—to build this Frankenstein monster. … It is leading to the worst world war ever.”
Now, rather than hiding behind nato and the U.S., the EU is operating under its own military authority in Bosnia. Although Germany currently has 7,000 troops in the Balkans, it continues its policy of maintaining support for international organizations as the umbrella under which to carry out German ambition.
To understand more on the prophetic significance of the EU’s presence in the Balkans, please request our free booklet The Rising Beast.