November 26, 2002

AXIS OF NOT QUITE AS EVIL:

France and Germany plan Euro defence union (Ambrose Evans-Pritchard and Toby Helm, 27/11/2002)
France and Germany have called for a full European security and defence union, pushing Britain to the sidelines in their latest attempt to revive the Berlin-Paris axis.

In a move that has alarmed the Foreign Office, the two governments have put forward a joint plan for a Euro-army with an "integrated command capability" and a "European Armaments Agency".

The ideas are being portrayed in Paris and Berlin as the product of frustration at Britain's tendency to be the mouthpiece of America on foreign policy issues, rather than looking to Europe. [...]

Crucially, France and Germany say they must be allowed to go ahead with the plans even if other EU nations oppose the idea.


This is ridiculous--why do the Brits keep accepting these humiliations from the French and the Germans? It's long past time to bail out of Europe and join NAFTA. Posted by Orrin Judd at November 26, 2002 9:40 PM
Comments

Where's the invite?

Posted by: M Ali Choudhury at November 26, 2002 9:32 PM

Bob Zoellick will be there on the next plane.

Posted by: oj at November 26, 2002 9:48 PM

First, doesn't the EU have something like this already, a joint brigade or division that is mostly French and German, and is outside the control of NATO?



Second, this strikes me not only as a slap to the Brits, but as a warning to the other, smaller memeber-states of the EU and to the candidate states: mind who your betters are, but they will have the power and you won't. The French and Germans could use this to assure themselves a place as "first amongst equals" in an expanded EU.



Regards,

Posted by: Steve White at November 26, 2002 10:20 PM

Colonies may be passe, but it seems to me there's a strong imperialist spirit in the EU elites. The ICC is a good example -- they're seeking the right to impose their own law on other non-signatory countries to govern events in those countries.



Diplomacy is conquest by other means?

Posted by: pj at November 27, 2002 7:36 AM

I am perfectly happy with France and Germany finding a brigade or two and calling it a Rapid Reaction Force. They will never achieve two of the three, although they are very good at Reaction.

Posted by: David Cohen at November 27, 2002 8:48 AM
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