By far the best summary of the devious undermining of our national
sovereignty cimes from Richard North in his EUReferendum blog, given
below.
Open Europe quotes other sources including ---
“The Telegraph reports that a security blueprint charting a path to a
European Union army will be agreed by MEPs today. The paper notes
that, "The plan, which has influential support in Germany and France,
proposes to set up a "Synchronised Armed Forces Europe", or Safe, as
a first step towards a true European military force."
and
“Meanwhile, the FT notes that Sarkozy's plan to take France back into
the permanent command structure of Nato is facing mounting
opposition, including from his own party”
The whole gambit is political and nothing to do with defence. It is
all part of the EU process of abolishing the nation state.
xxxxxxxxxxxx cs
========================
EUREFERENDUM Blog 19.2.09
Guardians of our freedom
Our man in Brussels, namely Bruno Waterfield, is hot on the trail of
the latest in the long saga of the euroweenies' attempts to create a
European Army.
The latest plan, he writes - which has "influential support in
Germany and France" – is to set up "Synchronised Armed Forces
Europe", or SAFE. This, he tells us, is a first step towards a true
European military force.
It isn't the first step, of course – the "colleagues" have been
trying for decades - but this certainly is another step down the road
towards European military integration, giving teeth to the European
Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
What brings it to the forefront is an "own initiative" report going
in front of the EU parliament today, authored by one of our favourite
"stage" Germans, MEP Karl von Wogau – a doyen of the European defence
establishment. He has been at the forefront of the EU defence agenda
for many years, one of his earlier reports setting out the objectives
very clearly indeed.
In opposing – or even trying to understand – what is happening
though, there is a conceptual problem. A "European Army" as such does
not involve serried ranks of soldiers all done up with white gloves,
tasteful cravats and blue berets adorned with the ring of stars. It
is much more subtle than that, and our Karl is right in there, making
it happen.
The key word is "inter-operability", a concept we've been writing
about for ages, going right back. This is in the frame with von
Wogau's current report. He is looking for a "dynamic to further
development of co-operation between national armed forces so that
they become increasingly synchronised". For "synchronised", read
"inter-operable".
For modern armies to fight together, they must have common
structures, command and control systems, equipment, doctrines and
much else. If these are too different, disparate national armies on
the same battlefield are simply a disorganised rabble – even worse
than at present. However, the crucial point is that, if the armies of
the EU member states are properly "synchronised", this makes them a
single army in all but name. The don't need to wear the "ring of
stars" or blue cravats.
Further to the point, since the level of commonality will be unique
to those formations, they will not be able to fight with anyone else
… like the United States. "SAFE", therefore, is a powerful weapon of
integration.
Von Wogau makes absolutely no attempt to hide his agenda – in that,
at least, he is honest. He points out in his report before the EU
parliament today that the EU "needs to develop its strategic autonomy
through a strong and effective foreign, security and defence policy.
"This is needed," he says, "in order to promote peace and
international security, to defend its interests in the world, to
protect the security of its own citizens …".
This, in a nutshell, sums up all that is objectionable about the
"project". The ESDP is needed to promote the EU's interests and
protect the security of "its own citizens". This is the
supranationalist agenda writ large, completely submerging the
interests of nations, yet using their resources to do so.
The core of the "SAFE" idea definitely promotes that agenda,
suggesting a "European statute for soldiers" which would govern
"training standards, operational doctrine and freedom of operational
action." It would encompass issues relating to "duties and rights,
"as well as "the level of equipment quality, medical care and social
security arrangements in the event of death, injury or incapacity."
Crucially, "SAFE" also embodies the principle of "a Europe-wide
division of labour in military capabilities." That would mean, to
take an extreme example, one country would supply the infantry,
another the tanks, yet another the artillery, one other the
communications systems, while others would provide the logistics,
catering and the medical services. Command and control would, of
course, be provided by the EU.
That actually encapsulates the principle of "interdependence", one
which has applied for decades to the EU's industrial policy. Applied
to the ESDP, it would mean that no single member state would have
autonomous armed forces, capable of acting independently – which is
exactly what the "colleagues" have in mind.
The actual plan, as you might expect, is a lot more devious. They are
talking about sharing military intelligence gathering, common
communications systems, shared (i.e., EU managed) satellites -
including Galileo, which is freely quoted as a model - all key
elements without which modern armies can't operate.
The "European Army" thus becomes a group of nationally-funded
formations each so deficient in one or more key capabilities that
they can only operate when they come together as a whole, under the
EU umbrella. It's not what each army has, so much as what it doesn't
have - not what they can do but what they can't do.
And then the individual national components are so heavily
"synchronised" that they can only work with each other, and not
anyone else - back to inter-operability again. They can fight within
Nato, but separately, but only as part of a European component -
alongside but not with US or Canadian forces. The idea of Nato forces
being "synchronised" goes out the window.
Although this issue is emerging just now with von Wogau's report, it
was actually rehearsed in much more detail late last year by that
other "stage Hun", Hans-Gert Pöttering. [He’s more than a "stage Hun"
- he’s a thoroughly nasty piece of work, ruining any democratic
pretences of the European parliament (of which he was until recently,
president) and still heads the EPP-ED Group in that parliament. Many
have called him az neo-nazi -cs]
Speaking at the "Seventh Congress on European Security and Defence"
in Berlin in November, he went well beyond the idea of "closer co-
operation between autonomous national armies" and identified
precisely the issues we have highlighted: "quantum improvements in
the areas of joint command structures, equipment and operations."
To achieve these aims, says Pöttering, "we need a link between the
current situation, characterised by armed forces which are partly
interoperable, but still organised on a purely national basis, and
the distant objective of a European Army."
Note those words carefully: a link between the "current situation"
and "the distant objective of a European Army". That link, Pöttering
tells us, is "SAFE". Not least, "it has positive associations and is
easy to remember". Thus, he asserts, it "can help us move the work of
developing integrated European structures forward."
One cunning little plot to move that agenda "forward" is an agreement
between the Netherlands and German armed forces which now allow their
reservists to fulfil their duties in the other country's army. The
Belgian armed forces are already open to soldiers from all the EU
Member States and thus "stand as a model for all 27 armies in
Europe." [except they asre not combat ready, which must be admitted
is a bit of a snag -cs]
That is the eventual aim, whereby "European citizens" will be able to
join the armed forces of any member state, as of right. Since an oath
of loyalty to any one state would be a barrier to entry, that would
have to go. National military regulations would be replaced with the
"European soldiers' statute".
Another jolly little scam is to expand the "institutional exchange
programme for professional soldiers". Known as Erasmus-Militaire,
this would increase the number of exchanges between member state
armed forces, thus giving the process "an entirely new dimension".
Before too long, any ambitious officer will learn that he has no
prospects of promotion until he has been on his euro-exchange posting
to acquire his programming.
None of this will be compulsory in the first instance. Von Wogau and
Pöttering both are talking about voluntary "opt-ins". This allows
countries like the UK to deny they are participating while, all the
time, gradually implementing provisions.
One thing you can see happening, for instance, is the "European
soldiers' statute" surreptitiously being absorbed into Queen's
Regulations. They will keep their name but will be gradually emptied
of unique national content and "synchronised" with the European
model. That is the way our provincial government does things.
Bruno Waterfield cites Geoffrey Van Orden, who opines on the whole
idea. He complains that British ministers are "in denial". They are,
he says, "sleepwalking towards a European army and seem to have
little awareness of what is going on."
That isn't exactly what is happening. In the Brown government, there
is actually little enthusiasm for Euro-militarism. But within the MoD
and elsewhere there is a caucus of strong Europhiles. They are
forever pushing at the boundaries. Every now and again, they are
thrown a chunk of meat to keep them quiet. The trouble is, they
devour it and come back for more.
Some – but by no means all – of this agenda will find its way into
the British defence system and lodge like a virus, ready to break out
when the time is right. The strongest antidote is Afghanistan – where
our close operational relationship with US forces means that we have
to be more "synchronised" with the Americans than the euroweenies.
After all, it was Afghanistan campaign that did for the British
contribution to the ERRF. End the campaign in Afghanistan and there
is nothing to stop the euroweenies running amok.
By that measure - as long as we are fighting them alongside the
Americans - that makes the Taleban the best guardians of our freedom
– of which our independent armed forces are a central part. That is a
very sobering thought.
------------------------------------
Posted by Richard North
sovereignty cimes from Richard North in his EUReferendum blog, given
below.
Open Europe quotes other sources including ---
“The Telegraph reports that a security blueprint charting a path to a
European Union army will be agreed by MEPs today. The paper notes
that, "The plan, which has influential support in Germany and France,
proposes to set up a "Synchronised Armed Forces Europe", or Safe, as
a first step towards a true European military force."
and
“Meanwhile, the FT notes that Sarkozy's plan to take France back into
the permanent command structure of Nato is facing mounting
opposition, including from his own party”
The whole gambit is political and nothing to do with defence. It is
all part of the EU process of abolishing the nation state.
xxxxxxxxxxxx cs
========================
EUREFERENDUM Blog 19.2.09
Guardians of our freedom
Our man in Brussels, namely Bruno Waterfield, is hot on the trail of
the latest in the long saga of the euroweenies' attempts to create a
European Army.
The latest plan, he writes - which has "influential support in
Germany and France" – is to set up "Synchronised Armed Forces
Europe", or SAFE. This, he tells us, is a first step towards a true
European military force.
It isn't the first step, of course – the "colleagues" have been
trying for decades - but this certainly is another step down the road
towards European military integration, giving teeth to the European
Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
What brings it to the forefront is an "own initiative" report going
in front of the EU parliament today, authored by one of our favourite
"stage" Germans, MEP Karl von Wogau – a doyen of the European defence
establishment. He has been at the forefront of the EU defence agenda
for many years, one of his earlier reports setting out the objectives
very clearly indeed.
In opposing – or even trying to understand – what is happening
though, there is a conceptual problem. A "European Army" as such does
not involve serried ranks of soldiers all done up with white gloves,
tasteful cravats and blue berets adorned with the ring of stars. It
is much more subtle than that, and our Karl is right in there, making
it happen.
The key word is "inter-operability", a concept we've been writing
about for ages, going right back. This is in the frame with von
Wogau's current report. He is looking for a "dynamic to further
development of co-operation between national armed forces so that
they become increasingly synchronised". For "synchronised", read
"inter-operable".
For modern armies to fight together, they must have common
structures, command and control systems, equipment, doctrines and
much else. If these are too different, disparate national armies on
the same battlefield are simply a disorganised rabble – even worse
than at present. However, the crucial point is that, if the armies of
the EU member states are properly "synchronised", this makes them a
single army in all but name. The don't need to wear the "ring of
stars" or blue cravats.
Further to the point, since the level of commonality will be unique
to those formations, they will not be able to fight with anyone else
… like the United States. "SAFE", therefore, is a powerful weapon of
integration.
Von Wogau makes absolutely no attempt to hide his agenda – in that,
at least, he is honest. He points out in his report before the EU
parliament today that the EU "needs to develop its strategic autonomy
through a strong and effective foreign, security and defence policy.
"This is needed," he says, "in order to promote peace and
international security, to defend its interests in the world, to
protect the security of its own citizens …".
This, in a nutshell, sums up all that is objectionable about the
"project". The ESDP is needed to promote the EU's interests and
protect the security of "its own citizens". This is the
supranationalist agenda writ large, completely submerging the
interests of nations, yet using their resources to do so.
The core of the "SAFE" idea definitely promotes that agenda,
suggesting a "European statute for soldiers" which would govern
"training standards, operational doctrine and freedom of operational
action." It would encompass issues relating to "duties and rights,
"as well as "the level of equipment quality, medical care and social
security arrangements in the event of death, injury or incapacity."
Crucially, "SAFE" also embodies the principle of "a Europe-wide
division of labour in military capabilities." That would mean, to
take an extreme example, one country would supply the infantry,
another the tanks, yet another the artillery, one other the
communications systems, while others would provide the logistics,
catering and the medical services. Command and control would, of
course, be provided by the EU.
That actually encapsulates the principle of "interdependence", one
which has applied for decades to the EU's industrial policy. Applied
to the ESDP, it would mean that no single member state would have
autonomous armed forces, capable of acting independently – which is
exactly what the "colleagues" have in mind.
The actual plan, as you might expect, is a lot more devious. They are
talking about sharing military intelligence gathering, common
communications systems, shared (i.e., EU managed) satellites -
including Galileo, which is freely quoted as a model - all key
elements without which modern armies can't operate.
The "European Army" thus becomes a group of nationally-funded
formations each so deficient in one or more key capabilities that
they can only operate when they come together as a whole, under the
EU umbrella. It's not what each army has, so much as what it doesn't
have - not what they can do but what they can't do.
And then the individual national components are so heavily
"synchronised" that they can only work with each other, and not
anyone else - back to inter-operability again. They can fight within
Nato, but separately, but only as part of a European component -
alongside but not with US or Canadian forces. The idea of Nato forces
being "synchronised" goes out the window.
Although this issue is emerging just now with von Wogau's report, it
was actually rehearsed in much more detail late last year by that
other "stage Hun", Hans-Gert Pöttering. [He’s more than a "stage Hun"
- he’s a thoroughly nasty piece of work, ruining any democratic
pretences of the European parliament (of which he was until recently,
president) and still heads the EPP-ED Group in that parliament. Many
have called him az neo-nazi -cs]
Speaking at the "Seventh Congress on European Security and Defence"
in Berlin in November, he went well beyond the idea of "closer co-
operation between autonomous national armies" and identified
precisely the issues we have highlighted: "quantum improvements in
the areas of joint command structures, equipment and operations."
To achieve these aims, says Pöttering, "we need a link between the
current situation, characterised by armed forces which are partly
interoperable, but still organised on a purely national basis, and
the distant objective of a European Army."
Note those words carefully: a link between the "current situation"
and "the distant objective of a European Army". That link, Pöttering
tells us, is "SAFE". Not least, "it has positive associations and is
easy to remember". Thus, he asserts, it "can help us move the work of
developing integrated European structures forward."
One cunning little plot to move that agenda "forward" is an agreement
between the Netherlands and German armed forces which now allow their
reservists to fulfil their duties in the other country's army. The
Belgian armed forces are already open to soldiers from all the EU
Member States and thus "stand as a model for all 27 armies in
Europe." [except they asre not combat ready, which must be admitted
is a bit of a snag -cs]
That is the eventual aim, whereby "European citizens" will be able to
join the armed forces of any member state, as of right. Since an oath
of loyalty to any one state would be a barrier to entry, that would
have to go. National military regulations would be replaced with the
"European soldiers' statute".
Another jolly little scam is to expand the "institutional exchange
programme for professional soldiers". Known as Erasmus-Militaire,
this would increase the number of exchanges between member state
armed forces, thus giving the process "an entirely new dimension".
Before too long, any ambitious officer will learn that he has no
prospects of promotion until he has been on his euro-exchange posting
to acquire his programming.
None of this will be compulsory in the first instance. Von Wogau and
Pöttering both are talking about voluntary "opt-ins". This allows
countries like the UK to deny they are participating while, all the
time, gradually implementing provisions.
One thing you can see happening, for instance, is the "European
soldiers' statute" surreptitiously being absorbed into Queen's
Regulations. They will keep their name but will be gradually emptied
of unique national content and "synchronised" with the European
model. That is the way our provincial government does things.
Bruno Waterfield cites Geoffrey Van Orden, who opines on the whole
idea. He complains that British ministers are "in denial". They are,
he says, "sleepwalking towards a European army and seem to have
little awareness of what is going on."
That isn't exactly what is happening. In the Brown government, there
is actually little enthusiasm for Euro-militarism. But within the MoD
and elsewhere there is a caucus of strong Europhiles. They are
forever pushing at the boundaries. Every now and again, they are
thrown a chunk of meat to keep them quiet. The trouble is, they
devour it and come back for more.
Some – but by no means all – of this agenda will find its way into
the British defence system and lodge like a virus, ready to break out
when the time is right. The strongest antidote is Afghanistan – where
our close operational relationship with US forces means that we have
to be more "synchronised" with the Americans than the euroweenies.
After all, it was Afghanistan campaign that did for the British
contribution to the ERRF. End the campaign in Afghanistan and there
is nothing to stop the euroweenies running amok.
By that measure - as long as we are fighting them alongside the
Americans - that makes the Taleban the best guardians of our freedom
– of which our independent armed forces are a central part. That is a
very sobering thought.
------------------------------------
Posted by Richard North
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