Publication

As of November 2004, persistent violence in Iraq and the legacy of opposition in some European countries to the US-led invasion continued to militate against more extensive EU engagement in the country. Europe's absence has been felt most acutely in the security sphere, both in terms of troop deployments and the contribution to the training of Iraqi security forces. While European governments have valid criticisms over the coalition’s handling of Iraq’s post-conflict imperatives, and are right not to over-commit to Iraq under the present circumstances, there are nevertheless a number of areas where stronger European engagement might now be both possible and helpful. This paper suggests a number of areas where future European efforts in Iraq could most usefully add value.