There was a very good quote in the last issue of Der Spiegel:
Die Europäer haben oft geklagt über die amerikanische Dominanz, das selbstbewusste, manchmal auch einfach nur arrogante Auftreten der Vereinigten Staaten, aber insgeheim waren sie häufig ganz froh, in der zweiten Reihe zu sitzen.
The Europeans often complain about the United States being the “world police” and how they constantly intervene all around the world. But as the quote explains, the Europeans have been secretly happy to play the second violin and watch America rummage around the world, and instead keeping its own forces at home in peace.
“Amerika braucht einen Regimewechsel”, sagt der frühere Sicherheitsberater Zbigniew Brzezinski, “aber Europa braucht ein Regime.”
Whenever the Europeans actually manage to agree on doing something, the actual commitment is often insufficient and clouded by political bickering. Perhaps the old colonial powers – mostly England and France – know all too well the problems associated with handling the Third World and find themselves dragging their feet, and settle on arguing instead which EU nation that gets to commit the bulk of the effort.
The alternative to a world dominated by American intervention is a EU that steps up to the challenge. And if so, Sweden might find itself being forced to commit not just a mechanized company, but entire battalions and brigades to the peacekeeping missions. – And then we would become the world police, much to the amusement of everyone else.