The EU's ineffectual actions during the Balkan wars of the 1990s have led to loud calls for this political and economic giant to develop an effective military arm - an integrated force capable of dealing with conflict in Europe's backyard and projecting military power globally. This work provides a comprehensive analysis of this ""European defence project"" - its origins, purpose, and goals. It asks whether a powerful European army should replace US military involvement in Europe and discusses how the respective roles of the various EU countries, especially France, Germany, and Britain, should be defined. It also explores the institutional, military, industrial, and especially political practicalities of defense integration.