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I think you will find that a European Army will exsist, but finding it actually
doing any thing is another matter. Like the UN all they can do in Europe is talk action is some thing alse.

At last the Germans and French have got their way as usual! What was it someone said during the War, give us British Troops and German Officers and we will win the War.

I wouldn't agree that we have already surrendered control to the US, let alone Europe...

Of course with the US taking the lead in Iraq they are going to have more of a say over our commitments and actions but at the same time, British forces have a great deal to offer in terms of experience and ability that makes us much more than just US pawns or cannon fodder...

That said it seems true that UK forces are tailoring themselves to work closely with US forces. On the face of it this might look like handing over some control but, if you look at it realistically, the UK cannot afford to compete with the US in terms of military spending and in any case has no need to, being a much smaller country. From this point of view I would have thought it makes more sense to focus on the things you're best at and make yourself indispensible.

This is not to say in any way that the UK's armed forces aren't [at least] as capable as US forces in all aspects - simply that the UK can't afford to compete in an arms race with the US. This by no means makes us redundant.

Maybe vee dont vant your army unter our offizeers hours iz gut enuf

URNU-Student:
There is no EU Army nor will there ever be


There is already one of sorts. It’s called Euro core or something like that, though it only encompasses 5 nations I think.

Last Bastille day "Euro Core" nations paraded through Paris instead of the French Army on its own. What made this the funniest thing I have ever seen was that the Germans led the parade. So on a French bank holiday you had the German Army marching into Paris, the look on the French spectators faces was priceless.

No change there, then

The European Joint Rapid Reaction Corps is I think still in the planning stages, Britain is a key component and I don't think we've allocated any forces to it. The idea is that it will be able to respond to events such as mutual genocide in the former Yugoslavia without US support, as that cannot be garunteed. The porlem is that it has aq currently unworkable command system as getting eachc ountry to work in tandem and follow a common plan is going to take some time. It also has scant logisitical capability, so far the only remotely heavy transport aircraft are the four RAF C17's and oodles of C130's so getting a complete force in place will take more time. So yup, at the moment it's a standard EU system with lots of talking, huge expenses but bugger all use.

Here's a question, if there was an EU army today would u still apply to join British forces and if u were already in then would u consider leaving?

Smilie how do you manage to be located in Hereford and Gloucestershire?

Perhaps would open up some rather nice postings/drafts, but I don't think it would be for me.

Smilie-man'81 wrote:Here's a question, if there was an EU army today would u still apply to join British forces and if u were already in then would u consider leaving?

Good question Smilie, I would want to know all the facts before I would make my mind up. But to be honest the idea of fighting for the EU in my view is not a good one.

I don’t think I could do it, because it wouldn’t be under British leaders they would be German or worse French... I would immigrate and join the Australian forces...


lew

I think the eu army would or should act more like a sort of reserve that all the eu nations can draw on, thereby giving each country the ability to act independantly for there own direct security or with the entire eu. Sort of like an european foreign legion.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't the Germans just in charge of the little contingent we contribute to the EU Army?
I think it's just the Sun doing its usual blowing everything out of proportion to rile up the public. It was like with Iraq; a mother sends her son and his mates a box of Mars bars and all of a sudden it's "BRITISH TROOPS DO NOT GET FED! PARENTS SENDING OUT FOOD PARCELS!"

This Euro 'army' has been in Macedonia for a while now as apparently doing well.
To be honest I'm not all that against a combined European military. We need to look realistically at defence in the future and all these countries on their own, ours included, cannot maintain effective militaries. For major conflicts the US is our logistics division. We should put national pride aside slightly and stand on our own feet as Europe.

One way to look at it is Europe has been fighting wars for as long as history books go and yet a single foriegn country that has been around for five minutes, the USA, is carrying us on their backs and telling us what we should and shouldn't be doing.

Cobalt wrote: One way to look at it is Europe has been fighting wars for as long as history books go and yet a single foriegn country that has been around for five minutes, the USA, is carrying us on their backs and telling us what we should and shouldn't be doing.

I don't agree that the US is carrying us, we do have a strong capability to deploy to most places we need. Just look at the Falklands, and that was when the Government was downsizing. Although I would like to see more thought going into the future of the military and not just what's needed right this minute.

As for the US telling us what to do I think we have Bliar to thank for that but that can and hopfully will change when we and the US vote in better leaders.