Taram!!! The new Europe.

[VetLegion]

About military alliance I agree with Pekka. I am very sceptical about European joint military capability. The 'sucesses' in Kosovo and Bosnia are decieving, those places are relatively peaceful, but still brewing.

So if some time in future, say in ten years or so, it explodes in there again, I can't really see how for example Finnish politicians would justify sending their troops into the mess. 'They would do the same for us' doesn't really sound convincing.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by VetLegion

I'd rather have the powers of my current government redistributed to the EU on the one side - and to the European regions on the other.

Didn't Schroeder float this idea some time ago? Did it have any lasting impact?

This is the general trend wished by most people in EU institutions. And slowly but steadily, more power does get transmitted to regions, even in highly-centralistic France.

[Pekka]

VetLegion, exactly. And what that situation would bring us is mistrust and bad feelings. If we were to plead our alliance, and something happened, we shouldn't even think about it but send troops right away if you asked. I don't say we shouldn't help, I say we should have the opportunity to not help. You get my point?

[VetLegion]

Ditto when there is a Sami uprising, don't draft me for that!