Understanding Security and Defense in Spain. A national view on CSDP and its relationship with NATO
- Autores: Abel Romero Junquera
- Localización: Cuadernos de estrategia, ISSN 1697-6924, Nº. 228 (EU Common Security and Defense Policy. Quo Vadis? How European capitals understand CSDP), 2024, págs. 187-224
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
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Resumen
To understand Spain’s approach to European defense, and, in particular, within the framework of the EU (the CSDP), it is necessary to take into account, among others, some geographical, historical and sociological elements.
Located in the southwesternmost end of Europe, Spain is a bridge country between Europe, and Africa and America, almost a geopolitical pivot according to Bzrezinski, and with the Pyrenees as a geographical wall to the continent. During the last 200 years, since the invasion by Napoleonic troops, Spain has not fought any war abroad, but only some civil wars, ending with the one in 1936, all of which have, to some extent, set up the national social vision towards the Armed Forces and military issues.
In addition to the above, it should be mentioned the loss of the empire, the last overseas possessions, in 1898, that triggered a wave of introspection at national level and, as a result, certain isolationism from Europe, all of which has drawn in some way our particular strategic culture. In this scenario, the return of democracy in 1978, and the entry into the European Economic Community in the 80s, meant the opportunity for Spain to really return to Europe. In some way, the participation in European Defense matters, such as the entry into NATO in 1982, could be understood as a ticket, part of the fee to be paid, to enter the European club.
Since then, Spain has been a loyal and committed ally and partner, both in NATO and in the CSDP, where it is also an active participant, but more following the guidelines of Brussels than our own agenda, which is really to be part of Europe.
In this sense, as Emilio Lamo says, Spain is a deeply Europeanist country, not so much from a foreign policy or defense policy perspective, but more as a backbone of domestic policy. We do not want to go to Europe, but that Europe comes to us; we want to europeanize Spain and not really spanishize Europe
