Foreign Policy Blogs

Biden calls for European help in Afghanistan

Brussels never received so much attention from the previous US administration, so last week‘s visit of  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and today’s of Vice-President Joe Biden are most welcome. Most of the Vice-President’s engagements were at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, however he did have meetings with the EU Policy chief Javier Solana.

A European diplomat has suggested that Biden’s role (as opposed to Clinton) is as the “salesman” of the administration. And he has a lot to sell, as he renewed pleas for more European involvement in Afghanistan. It seems, however, that talk has moved from troop deployment, something that is deeply unpopular in the EU, toward civilian assistance which is slightly more palatable.

090310b-029

US Vice President, Joseph “the salesman”Biden seated next NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (Photo:NATO)

 

Author

David Garrahy

David Garrahy works in Brussels monitoring European Union activites. He is originally from Ireland and studied a Degree in Law & European Studies at the University of Limerick before earning a Masters in Globalisation at Dublin City Universty. Previously he has worked in the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, the European Commission and as a Legislative Aide for an Irish Senator. His involvement in the EU has included working for the Irish Forum on Europe and campaigning in Referenda in favour of the Nice & Lisbon Treaties.

Area of Focus
Europe; Globalisation; European Comission.

Contact