Con Coughlin
Born in 1955, British author and journalist Con Coughlin is an expert on international terrorism and the Middle East. He has spent most of his working career at the Daily Telegraph, where since 2006 he has been the newspaper’s Defence and Security Editor.
Updated: 12 October 2009
America is reluctant to lead Operation Odyssey Dawn, but fractious Europe lacks the resources and faces complications, with Germany and NATO ally Turkey dragging their feet. 
With cross the board ratification of the Lisbon treaty imminent, Con Coughlin in the Daily Telegraph points out that even with Tony Blair as first EU president, the role will be largely ceremonial. Real power will be concentrated in the hands of the High Representative for foreign and security policy.