European defense capability

Post-9/11 Era Forum

As a consequence of Iraq, Europe decided to increase its military, and thus will be less dependant of the American big brother. Is this a threat for USA, as US governor said?
Your opinion is very welcome.


Summit clears path to new European defense capability


AP , BRUSSELS
Sunday, Oct 19, 2003,Page 6
The EU pushed ahead on Friday with efforts to build its own defense arm but insisted the plan would neither duplicate nor undermine NATO -- a move aimed at quelling US concerns.

EU leaders, wrapping up a two-day summit in Brussels, also welcomed the unanimous support for the UN resolution on rebuilding Iraq while keeping up pressure for a "realistic schedule" for restoring sovereignty to the Iraqi people.

On all other issues discussed at the summit -- from the bloc's future constitution to providing troops and money to help out in Iraq -- little agreement was reached.

EU foreign policy representative Javier Solana told reporters that work would continue on increasing the EU's ability to operate military or peacekeeping missions independently of NATO.

"The EU needs to have military capability. Nobody doubts ... that," he said at a closing news conference. But he added "the relations between EU and NATO are basic relations and nobody wants to question that or damage that."

The US worries the European defense plans will weaken alliance's unity and complains it is being left in the dark by its allies. On Wednesday, a day before the opening of the summit, comments by the US ambassador to NATO, Nicholas Burns, that the plan represented a significant threat to the alliance provoked heated responses from some European envoys, diplomats said .

Burns called a special meeting of ambassadors from the 19 allies to discuss the issue tomorrow, a day ahead of their regular monthly meeting.

But Italy's Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who chaired the EU summit, said he thought there was nothing to worry about.

"I believe those concerns were understandable but now everything has been clarified," he said. "European defense must complement NATO and by no means be an alternative to NATO."

"Nothing whatsoever must put at risk our essential defense guarantees at NATO," echoed British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

In April, on the heels of deep divisions with Washington over war in Iraq, France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg laid out plans for a separate EU military headquarters to run military operations independent of NATO.

Britain at first opposed the plan. But after meeting last month with French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Blair appeared to warm to some form of closer EU defense cooperation in return for the others dropping the idea of a new building.
The rift over war in Iraq has yet to heal. EU leaders welcomed the support for the US-drafted resolution as a step in the right direction, but insisted on a "realistic schedule" for the handing over of power to the Iraqi people."
The UN resolution confirms Iraqi sovereignty and the temporary nature of US-led occupation, and commits Iraq's Governing Council to set a timetable by Dec. 15 for adopting a constitution and holding elections.

Good! There's hope yet!

I was convinced that every powerful Nation had one option: To FALL.

Rome. USSR. Europe.

At least they're on their way back up, that's great.

I for one, would love to see all American troops out of Europe.
Good luck.

Originally posted by Barbed wire

What about the US? Are they going to fall?

No.



If not, aren't they powerful or aren't they a nation?

Yes and yes.

As long as we fight terrorism and don't allow special interests and taxes to drown our nation -- we should be alright. Social Security is going to be a HUGE problem though and I fear if we don't do SOMETHING quick we're going to be taxed straight to hell.

What is the reason for Muslims to hold the terrorist war against the US?

What goals do they want to achieve?
We know the goals for all countries involved in WWI, WWII, French-Prussian war, any war. No let's discover the goals of parties involved in the recent war.

The goals of terrorists are obvious. Destroy the western way of life because it is 'evil.'

Yeah like you've talked to terrorists Americaah! its easy to know something if you only consult your own prejudices!

I didn't know A parkistani student and G Schwarzmann had be appointed to speak on behalf of all muslims Americaah you continue to astonish me. with your store of impossible facts. but I do understand Americaah the world is a big and scarey place and its necessary for you to feel safe in it that you devide the world into simplistic Good guys and simplistic Bad guys otherwise you will feel like a ship adrift in strange seas without a compass. I keep making the mistake of getting annoyed at your simlplistic utterances. and not trying to understand how scarey a complicated world is for you!

Why thank you Americaah and since you've done the appointing I'm sure you will cover my ( very rereasonable ) expences.

The check is in the mail. Hold your Dragon-breath....

“Instead of thinking ‘they [the U.S.] are bad because they are better than us’ try ‘they are better than us, but we can do it too.’” —MrJukoVette

Let's be clear: the decision to take back nuclear testing in Mururoa in 1995 was an environmental crime, a political fault, and a diplomatical FAILURE in the extreme. Nothing to be proud about, on the contrary. No need to add comments about the Rainbow Warrior's sinking 20 years ago ... Dragonhalitosis, you can see from our comments how citizen's opinions might sometimes differ from their governants' ones.

As far as this idea of a European army is concerned it is pretty old news when you think about. For years the EU have been considering a rapid Reaction force and the plans to build the most advanced fighter jet in the world has been going on between coutries for a few yesr as well.

I find it amazing that a lot of people class muslims as terrorists, yes there are muslim terroist but there are american terroists and British terroists and Iris and Spanish and anywhere else you care to mention.


PS frnachfries after watching Scotland be on the recieving end of a rugby lesson by France the other day. I wasnt so much go France go as stop France stop any chane you can do that to England?