Those who believe an Obama White House will benefit British conservatives and British strategic interests should think again. The appointment of Michele Flournoy as the next Under Secretary of Defence for Policy is the clearest sign yet that an Obama administration is likely to support the European Project.
Flournoy is a leading supporter in Washington of U.S. backing for defence integration in the EU, and co-authored a major study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in 2005 strongly advocating American backing for a unified European defence structure. The report can be found here.
Her new position is one of the most powerful in the Pentagon, and she will play a critically important role in helping shape U.S.-EU and U.S.-UK defence policy, as well as policy towards NATO.
The Pentagon (unlike the State Department) has traditionally been lukewarm and frequently hostile towards the ESDP. That position is likely to change significantly, and if it does the end result will be a weakened Anglo-American Special Relationship and a weakened NATO alliance. Neither are in Britain's interests.
