Germans in charge!

[Smilie-man'81]

I know its from the Sun but i was wondering everyones view on this is?


BRITAIN’S armed forces WILL be commanded by Brussels despite Tony Blair’s denials, the EU’s military chief sensationally confirmed last night.

German Lieutenant General Rainer Schuwirth boasted HE will be in charge of UK troops sent as part of the EU Army.

His declaration flies in the face of the PM’s repeated assurances that he would never surrender control of British forces.

General Schuwirth scoffed: “National governments would have to give away their authority over their army.”

The revelation that Our Boys will no longer be sent into battle by the UK government came as it emerged the fledgling EU Army is ALREADY minting campaign medals — for peacekeeping duties in Macedonia.

And EU Army soldiers are also sporting the EU flag on their uniforms — in direct contradiction of Mr Blair’s pledges.

Last night fury erupted over the general’s statement in the Financial Times.

Shadow Defence Secretary Bernard Jenkin stormed: “Tony Blair has lied to the British people about the EU Army from the very start.

The PM is selling out the British armed forces to Europe and pulling the wool over our eyes. This is the vision for the European Army the Government wanted.”

British top brass were also furious at the statement by General Schuwirth, who was appointed director-general of the EU’s military staff in March 2001.

Defence chiefs oppose the idea of an EU army — warning it risks undermining the Nato alliance.

But details of a deal under which Mr Blair bowed to Franco-German plans for an EU military command were revealed in leaked papers.

Downing Street has spent three days furiously denying the PM made the pact.

[bird]

f*cking great...... now i'm pissed off.
Mind you it was published by the sun.......

Bird

[Frank S.]

This definitely bears watching, although I could find nothing to corroborate this report.
Nothing in Spacewar, Jane's, etc.
It could be an effort to bolster US/UK relationships at a time when the US is once again having to deal with German and French 'attitudes' at the UN.

Can't deny, can't confirm, wait and see.

[Jason The Argonaut]

Bollocks to that.

This is one of many reason's why we need to get rid of Labour and get the bloody hell out of the EU.

[lew]

I’m with you on that Jason... if our forces end up as an EU army ill go and fight for Australia...

Mind you hopefully the queen wouldn’t let this happen, after all it is HM forces... and she can take direct charge of the army, please correct me if I’m wrong...

Back off Brussels


lew

[ph1l]

Does anyone actually know why they want an EU army in the first place, just seems illogical that anyone would want to do that because of conflicting views between countries within the EU?

[Frank S.]

In theory, it could provide more backing to the European currency (Euro) which more countries choose as a benchmark for their own currency and as the favored trade currency on the world market.
It looks as though those countries feel the European financial structure is more stable than the competing US structure, hence their choice.

[Tab]

Show Tony a European arse and he must kiss it.

[Tab]

Joking apart I think I would rather follow a German Officer than a French one. I think the Germans seem to know what they are doing, which is more than you can for the French.

[Smilie-man'81]

Funnily enough i can always see a French or German in charge of an EU army. Personnally, after seeing all the bickering done about the Iraq war a EU army and state wouldnt work. Too many confilicting ideas and interests!

[combat-engineer]

This is a typical example of why the EU is flawed.
The EU basically wants to take over the USA as world leader (lets face it they are ), by being stronger military, finacially and politically than the states. Its all well and good in theory, Im all for co-operation with our "friends" over the channel, but theres one major reason why the EU in its present form will never work.....

The EU is made up of countrys, not states within the same country. There is just to much difference in culture/history etc. to lump us in a one size fits all super-state.

Why cant we have an english speaking pact with the yanks, aussies, kiwis, canadians. etc?...

[Frank S.]

Maybe the American political system is finally butting against its limits. Washington himself disagreed with the notion of citizens affiliating with political parties. Granted, that was over two hundred years ago, but...

Communism is pretty much dead as a political system (yes I know: North Korea, China and some other countries claim to be ccomitted to it still, but that's no longer their reality).
Can capitalism survive without this 'opposite', bizarro system?
There are in Occident two forms of capitalism, American and European, the latter being more of a socialistic system. The next decades will show us which is the most viable.
The EU is flawed but doesn't yet quite display the fractures the US system does.

Consider how many countries peg their currency against the euro, choose to trade their most valuable resources in Euros, etc. And this is not exactly new.

As far as the UK is concerned, I think you are caught between a rock and a hard place. USA or EU? From a business perspective, it appears the EU is currently the favorite. Draw your conclusions as to what this means about the stability of American politics and economics.

I am very keen to hear what the old and bold have to say about this in terms of military cooperation. It's kinda crucial as far as I'm concerned.

[Guest]

lol I like how everyone overreacts to a fantasy tabloid piece.

There is no EU Army nor will there ever be, however Geoff Hoon did say we would never go into battle without the Americans and our Armed Forces are being remodelled as such with US-only compatible systems being brought into service. Also its Bush who decides how long are our troops going to be in Iraq for not Blair! Its perfectly obvious where sovereignty's already been lost, never mind Europe.

[Jason The Argonaut]

As far as the UK is concerned, I think you are caught between a rock and a hard place. USA or EU?

Frank S, I think your right there in my view I think we should get out of the EU, but still keep good friends with other EU countries. And with the US again still stay allies with them but look after number one, just because the US want's to get some pay back for Sept. 11, don't mean that we have to tag along.

[Smoke286]

This is a very interesting discussion. I too have my doubts that such a beast as the EU army will ever exist. But, is it not true that in essence the UK has already surrendered control of its armed forces to the USA?