Germans in charge!
Posted: Thu 25 Sep, 2003 7:01 pm
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.
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.
), 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.....
