Abstract
With the hundreds of thousands of refugees due to Syria's war, which followed anti-despotic revolutions in 2011, Europe's interests are directly at stake. EU policymakers are faced with slow EU Commission procedures and instruments; the adverse effects of well-intended humanitarian and sanctions policies; and the absence of a military culture and confidence in military options in Brussels. The EU should project its power differently in this violent context, with sharper civilian and military instruments in support of partners and countries sharing its values and interests.
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