Spain’s proposal to create a joint EU army, especially given the backdrop of rising global instability and a potential dispute over Greenland, is a fascinating and complex issue. The idea, as Spain’s Foreign Minister articulated, is to establish a unified military force as a deterrent. The notion of a “coalition of the willing,” with key players like France, Germany, Italy, and Spain at the core, seems like a pragmatic starting point. It’s probably unrealistic to expect all 27 EU member states to sign up immediately, and starting with a core group could be a good approach, preventing a backlash.
One of the central arguments revolves around the necessity for the EU to develop greater strategic autonomy, particularly as doubts grow about the continued reliability of the United States.… Continue reading
Secretary Hegseth has initiated a large-scale removal of members from Pentagon advisory boards, aiming to inject “fresh thinking” into defense policy. This unprecedented restructuring, while allowing for potential reappointments, has involved dismissing numerous former officials, industry leaders, and academics. Although the boards themselves remain, the extent of the changes marks a significant shift in the Pentagon’s advisory structure. This action follows other substantial alterations within the Department of Defense under Hegseth’s leadership, including personnel changes and the dissolution of the Office of Net Assessment.
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Trump allies, and many Canadians themselves, are expressing growing impatience with Canada’s persistent failure to meet its NATO commitment on defense spending. Canada remains one of only eight NATO members not reaching the agreed-upon benchmark of 2% of GDP allocated to defense, currently hovering around 1.37%. This is especially striking considering Canada possesses the sixth-largest GDP among NATO allies yet ranks 27th in defense spending as a proportion of its GDP.
The discrepancy between Canada’s economic capacity and its defense expenditure is seen as particularly egregious by some. Comparisons are made to other nations facing far more challenging economic circumstances, yet still managing to meet the 2% target.… Continue reading
Matt Underwood 
John Q. Hosedrinker