1.   Blair and Chirac agreed last year that Europe should have an autonomous defense capability to ensure the stability of its own back yard.

2.   Britain and France agreed late last year that one lesson of previous wars in the Balkans was that Europe needed to build up autonomous defense capabilities within the alliance.

3.   God knows, we need the long-promised new defense capability.

4.   He assesses world leaders and European defense capabilities with gusto.

5.   It left open how any distinct European defense capability would be built up.

6.   Militarily, even the closest U.S. allies are a full generation behind American defense capability.

7.   The first is to bolster the individual defense capabilities of the gulf states.

8.   Thirdly, the United States has developed a strong defense capability in the region.

9.   Our European allies are in the midst of important efforts to improve their defense capabilities.

10.   A deal with Boeing to buy six Aewac aircraft was put on hold in August while the government reviewed its defense force capability.