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Well perhaps we should donate LE Aisling to them....
Greece watching Turkey? These two are NATO allies on the "frontline" of defending "western" values from rampaging Russia. The mind boggles.
Why? They could easily build OPV's, however they are spending their defence budgets on warships more than Patrol ships, since they are both NATO members that most likely the best spend.
You are aware of the history between them right? They've had air intercepts and naval clashes before and still have a "difficult" working relationship. I doubt they are the first NATO members that have worked together even with disputes between them.
Let's stay on topic please, which incidentally has nothing to do with anyone trying to drag NATO through the mud...
"We will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskey"
Radio transmission, siege of Jadotville DR Congo. September 1961.
Illegitimi non carborundum
We have to be clear, the days of EU handouts for the Naval Service are in the past. With the rest of the EU raising their defence budget to 2%, we can not expect a handout when our budget is by 0.4%!
The P80/90 design we have is a very effective low cost vessel which could be a standard for the EU Coast guard. !
I'd do an analysis and see what can be learned from the Med mission. Gut feeling I'd say probably more accommodation and a bigger hospital? Otherwise it really seems to be an excellent design.
The coastguard is, I believe, a mix between trying to "do something" while at the same time advance the notion of a common EU defence force.
The problem is that the EU is not a state.
Which makes it look like another cart before the horse effort, build something that looks like it indicates a state and hope that creates the state.
The coastguard is, I believe, a mix between trying to "do something" while at the same time advance the notion of a common EU defence force.
The problem is that the EU is not a state.
Which makes it look like another cart before the horse effort, build something that looks like it indicates a state and hope that creates the state.
The Commission wants these things not necessarily the member states
The EU after Maastricht was organised on THREE pillars. The First pillar was all the internal running of EU such as Agriculture,Finance, Trade, Health, Citizenship, and the older Agreements in Coal and Steel etc. The second Pillar was to deal with Foreign Policy, Security, battle groups, Schengen rules etc. The Third pillar was to deal with Policing, migrants, trafficking etc. The Second and Third pillars are interdependent using Naval and Air services to implement OPS Sophia and OPS Pontus. With large finances required all Three Pillars have a tendency to morph into one interdependent Agency or State-like organisation, tending to wrest control from member states. It seems to me with a Global upsurge in Nationalism that the Commission needs to temper it's aspirations and work to an inclusive programme on social, medical, housing, finance matters within the EU , to make living conditions better for the diverse populations.
It seems to me that it is the Commission in the last 10 years has taken less direction from their Member States (ie the people who appointed them). In some ways that probably a good thing but they need to be answerable.
Its full of "Big Phil" types so you have a fair idea what to expect.
You are quite right. Heads of Departments within the Commission tend to keep his/her National interests to the fore. We have had Fishery Commissioners appointed from the Countries with the bigger fishing fleets. It follows through on appointments to Banking/ ECB. We appoint noted lightweights with a penchant for standing in S--te. We suck it up hoping that unquestioning compliance will earn points when it matters. However ECB and Commission are run by Italians and Germans with only a supervisory interest in Ireland.
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