Analysis: Afghanistan pullout spurs EU to revive rapid reaction force

FILE PHOTO: Belgian army Special Forces are seen during the Black Blade military exercise involving several European Union countries and organised by the European Defence Agency at Florennes airbase, Belgium November 30, 2016. REUTERS/Yves Herman

LJUBLJANA (Reuters) - The chaotic withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan has shown that the European Union needs to intervene militarily in a crisis without relying on U.S. troops, senior EU officials say.

Two decades after EU leaders first agreed to set up a 50,000-60,000-strong force but failed to make it operational, EU states are once again aiming to create a 5,000-strong "first entry force". They want a deal on its design by March 2022.