• EU backs greater military cooperation
    21 replies, posted
[quote]The plan for greater military cooperation, pushed by Germany, France, Italy and Spain, took on new urgency after Trump’s victory last week. It could result in coordinated purchases of military equipment and the activation of an existing — but so far unused — jointly-operated rapid deployment force that presently consists of 1,500 troops. Federica Mogherini, the EU foreign policy chief, on Monday said the plan would have gone forward regardless of the American election result. Mogherini has previously said the goal isn’t to create a so-called EU army, but rather to establish Europe as a “superpower that believes in multilateralism and cooperation.” Monday’s decision, at a meeting of EU defense ministers and foreign ministers in Brussels, authorizes officials to proceed with a plan known as “permanent structured cooperation,” or Pesco. The decision allows European nations willing to engage in greater military cooperation to go ahead without waiting for the consensus of the others — a concept known as a “two-speed” approach. Ministers also tasked Mogherini with presenting additional proposals by mid-2017 “to strengthen the relevance, usability and deployability” of the EU’s so-called “Rapid Response” toolbox, including existing EU Battlegroups — the rapid response force that has not been deployed so far, mainly for financial reasons. Even London, after years of opposing any plan to strengthen EU defense for fear of weakening NATO, said it did not oppose the plan. In a piece for the Guardian on Sunday, Stoltenberg stressed how “this year, 22 NATO allies will increase defense spending, leading to a total of 3 percent increase in real terms. And I expect that next year we will see the third consecutive year of increased defense spending in Europe.” One of the proposals is a new EU military headquarters that is still opposed by London. But even on that point, the U.K. expressed flexibility, provided it is used only for civilian missions, or so-called non-executive missions, Fallon said. And also on Pesco, the British were supportive.“Pesco is already a voluntary arrangement,” he said.[/quote] [URL="http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-backs-greater-military-cooperation-nato-donald-trump-federica-mogherini/"]Source[/URL]
This makes me nervous, :s: I do hope the EU doesn't become a threat to the world.
[QUOTE] Even London, after years of opposing any plan to strengthen EU defense for fear of weakening NATO, said it did not oppose the plan. [/QUOTE] Britain’s biggest arms company, BAE Systems, is the world’s third largest seller of weapons with over $25.7 billion in sales last year.
[QUOTE=Whoaly;51376048]This makes me nervous, :s: I do hope the EU doesn't become a threat to the world.[/QUOTE] The Treaty of Tordesillas will return
So is the EU actually going to somehow enforce countries to actually contribute to this EUDF or is it going to end up with only Greece, Estonia, and Poland actually paying their dues?
[QUOTE=Whoaly;51376048]This makes me nervous, :s: I do hope the EU doesn't become a threat to the world.[/QUOTE] Highly doubt EU ever will be a threat, lots of pressure from neutral countries.
[QUOTE=Whoaly;51376048]This makes me nervous, :s: I do hope the EU doesn't become a threat to the world.[/QUOTE] Can you picture any scenario where EU is a threat? Cause I'm having really hard time imagining one.
[QUOTE=Vlevs;51376100]Can you picture any scenario where EU is a threat? Cause I'm having really hard time imagining one.[/QUOTE] Kind of like the Nazi's: New Deal democracy to the West across the Ocean, and Soviet Communism to the East caused them to lash out violently. I fear that the globalist elites who control Europe might feel be driven to similar extremes, having no control of either Trump's America or Putin's Russia. Hope I'm wrong though.
[QUOTE=Whoaly;51376117] Hope I'm wrong though.[/QUOTE] Don't worry, you are. The veto system would put a stop to any military intervention.
[QUOTE=Vlevs;51376100]Can you picture any scenario where EU is a threat? Cause I'm having really hard time imagining one.[/QUOTE] Greece called, yadda yadda yadda. [QUOTE=Whoaly;51376117]Kind of like the Nazi's: New Deal democracy to the West across the Ocean, and Soviet Communism to the East caused them to lash out violently. I fear that the globalist elites who control Europe might feel be driven to similar extremes, having no control of either Trump's America or Putin's Russia. Hope I'm wrong though.[/QUOTE] Unlike the nazis, the EU is not a democratically elected body. It stems from a mercantile union and lacks backing from the public opinion of most countries within as far as going to war is concerned. Even moreso a war of aggression, I might add. It would be insanely foolish to hope of gaining anything by initiating a multilateral global-scale conflict under a banner of entirely dissociated peoples to take on the top 2 world powers. I don't foresee the EU pillaging anyone but africa as usual within the next century. Even in these changing times.
Honestly I think this is a good thing more than a bad thing. I'd like it if the EU took more initiative and responsibility for what happens in Europe militarily. I don't think the US has been stretched thin and held responsible for being global police, but certainly it feels that way sometimes
Cautiously optimistic for this, I think it could work out great considering the Brits are leaving.
[QUOTE=BlackMageMari;51376168]Cautiously optimistic for this, I think it could work out great considering the Brits are leaving.[/QUOTE] There is the slight problem that all the armed forces in Europe aside from France and Poland are a joke, however.
Well with the advent of Trump, military and logistical support from the US is no longer guaranteed so this move makes sense.
[QUOTE=FlashMarsh;51376177]There is the slight problem that all the armed forces in Europe aside from France and Poland are a joke, however.[/QUOTE] I'm not afraid to admit we're extremely small and can't contribute anything other than occasional UN missions to far off places. We could be moral support, I guess?
[QUOTE=FlashMarsh;51376177]There is the slight problem that all the armed forces in Europe aside from France and Poland are a joke, however.[/QUOTE] Historically the French weren't prolific.
[QUOTE=Whoaly;51376048]This makes me nervous, :s: I do hope the EU doesn't become a threat to the world.[/QUOTE] prepare your ass for another glorious revolution when you leave the EU. we shall take our rightful world. europa universalis
[QUOTE=Valiantttt;51376327]prepare your ass for another glorious revolution when you leave the EU. we shall take our rightful world. europa universalis[/QUOTE] Europa Universalis? That sounds catchy as hell!
[QUOTE]Mogherini has previously said the goal isn’t to create a so-called EU army, but rather to establish Europe as a “superpower that believes in multilateralism and cooperation.”[/QUOTE] Give it some time and they'll reconsider, hot water politics at work here.
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