EU army

**Franconicus** · 07-27-2005, 07:46

Quote:
And Third - if England doesn't particpate - most likely other nations will also not particapate and that will lessen the crediblity of such a unified force.
I'm sure you mean Britain.
No, England is right. I guess the Scots, Irish and Welsh will join

This is why we need an European army:

1. This will boost the integration. A common army will force the EU to a common policy
2. It will keep the balance. To secure peace you have to integrate Germany as much as possible. Today everything is fine. But only if we get our European identity the balance in Europe will be there for a long time. I know that some nations think they will loose influence in a European State. Completely wrong. If you have a European democracy every single individual has the same influence. If you have not, the big nations rule.
3. The US only respects military strengh. So if we want to get influence on the international politic we must increase our military strenght. We must have our own CIA, our own spy satelites, our own GPS.
4. If we want to reform the UN to a real powerful organisation we can only do this from a position of strength, military strenght, not only moral.

To the standards: Most European nations are member of the NATO and so have common standards. I know that Poland spend a lot of money to introduce them. There is already a command structure. There is no need that every unit uses the same trucks. France has to be integrated. There is even a kind of European army, the Western European Union.

GB:
I guess the strength of the British army is overestimated. They reduced their military spendings as much as any other European nation after the cold war. I do not believe that the British will join the army. I think it is more likely that they quit Europe (maybe try to become 51st state of the US). That is o.k.. It is their decition. Europe will be stronger without them being half in half out. I think the other big ones will join: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, also some of the smaller ones. Maybe the northern and eastern states will join too.

**JAG** · 07-27-2005, 08:12

I am a huge advocate of an EU army, I believe it solves so many problems.

An EU army will allow each country in the EU to specialise their military expertise, which will allow not only less money to be wasted on individual states armed forces, but a better level of defence in the EU. With less money spent on the military by each nation they can focus more on their domestic priorities, it is win, win.

**King of Atlantis** · 07-27-2005, 08:47

A unified army would probably be better for you guys, but you aren't nearly united enough for it to work.

**Al Khalifah** · 07-27-2005, 10:08

I guess the strength of the British army is overestimated.

Compared to ? It's still the world's 4th most powerful armed force.

I do not believe that the British will join the army. I think it is more likely that they quit Europe (maybe try to become 51st state of the US).

Britain is now so integrated into Europe, I think they would struggle to leave. It would be a messy disassembly process and would involve a lot of politicians having to admit that they were wrong (which politicians do not like doing). As for becoming the 51st state of the US - that just will not happen. The people of Britain wouldn't want it and it would not be practical. Plus I doubt the people of America would want Britain to be their 51st state - just consider the effect it would have on the election system having a state with over 100 electoral college votes.

Most European nations are member of the NATO and so have common standards.

The difference in standards between the British military and for example the Polish military is too large. The shear superiority in logistics, technology, systems, equipment, training is unbelieveable. When the British Army goes into a combat situation, the battle is already won and that is not an exageration.

**Franconicus** · 07-27-2005, 10:14

Originally Posted by Al Khalifah

Compared to ? It's still the world's 4th most powerful armed force.

Do you have a source for that?

**Al Khalifah** · 07-27-2005, 10:18

There's no scientific index for the measurement of such an attribute, but realistically given Britain's level of military development compared to other world nations the only true argument could be over whether it is infact still superior to the French armed forces.
So 4th or 5th.
Given the superior quality of Britain's non-combat sector and logistical network, as well as the quality of the equipment they use, I personally would rate Britain above France although the gap is narrowing.

**Meneldil** · 07-27-2005, 13:16

I do not believe that the British will join the army. I think it is more likely that they quit Europe (maybe try to become 51st state of the US).

Believe it or not, but UK is actually one of the best 'european student'. It almost always adopts EU laws, spends a lot of money for the EU institutions, etc.
The only thing they could be blamed for about EU is rejecting the Euro (although a whole lot of shops accepted the european currency last time I went to Scotland) and being basicaly anti-EU

**Ja'chyra** · 07-27-2005, 17:51

[QUOTE=Franconicus]Quote:
And Third - if England doesn't particpate - most likely other nations will also not particapate and that will lessen the crediblity of such a unified force.
I'm sure you mean Britain.
No, England is right. I guess the Scots, Irish and Welsh will join

[QUOTE]

Was that a joke? If so I don't get it.

**Taffy_is_a_Taff** · 07-27-2005, 18:11

considering what rabid Europhiles many Scots, Welsh and Irish are I think there is a great deal of truth to that suggestion (assuming that U.K. citizens could sign up for the Euro army even if the U.K. were not involved).