EU-US relations

[HershOstropoler]

Originally posted by DanS
"of course the US doesn't want to see europe as equal."

Equality really isn't on the table. The EU would have to invest more than 4% of its economy in defense to catch up. We're having trouble even jawboning Europe to 1.5%.

First, it would take 3-3.5 %, compared to the current 2 %. If we just wanted to we could build a US style military. Problem is, for what ? The US military is designed to bomb or destroy 3rd world countries at minimal losses of their own.

And it is bizarre that americans see equality as a function of total military power. Hell, even the North Koreans forced you to talk to them as equals and be all nice and cozy. Which leads to another point - Europe's much hyped military weakness is mostly political - just as the respective US weakness is political. Where's the invasion of Iran and North Korea?

[Az]

My god, you are a bore.

I'm not saying ANYTHING about EU contribution to world peace, I am only stating that the EU has done a wonderfull job in keeping peace and prosperity in EUROPE itself.

And I do beleive it is quite an achievement

I am sorry that I don't entertain you enough. and even the second paragraph is debatable. the only possible option for a conflict inside europe was the soviet/capitalist disupute. The EU hardly was a factor in preventing that from happening, since the union was all formed on one side of the border. Other conflicts were hardly feasible, since the percieved threat ot the regimes in western europe from the east was so overwhelming, The possibility of invasion by other EU member was harldy a chance. Even saw, this was just the rule, and there were exception to the Rule, i.e. turkey-greece wars. So the cold war was a hampering factor, not bringing a complete stop.

[TheStinger]

Europe could easily have a comparable military whilst still retaining individual capability.

If France, UK, Italy and Spain all had 1 carrier fleet each maybe UK and France with 2 that would be a sizeable force.

Then the above countries also reform theri land forces to be able to have a rapid reaction corps (air transportable) each with the Germans perhaps having 2 or 3.

The smaller countiries each provide a division or 2.

The corps would only have to be integrated for ops at army level or above so to reduce language difficulties.

This would of course need a one off hit of money to organise and it won't happen but it would enable europe to be credible militarily without having to unify completely