The Irish Times is carrying a report headed: "French minister urges EU defence budget." referring to the European affairs, Pierre Lellouche, who has proposed setting up an EU defence budget similar to the Common Agricultural Policy.

View full article here

One of the comments coming out of the Trident story yesterday was that if the UK goes to 3 boats from the current 4, then to ensure a boat on station we will co-operate with the French so if we don't have ours at sea, they will cover for us.

If the French are obliged to fire on someone on our behalf, how will they be sure any retaliation comes our way instead of theirs?

This whole Trident thing is so cold war. How is targeting managed? Can a boat at sea be re-targetted on a radio command? Or are all likely targets programmed in? Who can explain to me any circumstances whereby a decision-averse bottler might actually hit the button. And if he was thought to be using dangerous drugs for a mental condition, who has over-ride?

I'm sure it's all in here somewhere ...

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... ation.html

Yes, I used to produce stupid reports when I worked for 'a large multi-national', and I am able to tell between real points and a load of irrelevant drivel stuffed in there to fatten it up and look like you are doing something. The linked document is an example of the latter.

Or it could be double bluff ... made to look anodyne to cover up the real depth of engagement. After all, the French now produce the conventional explosives for our nuclear bombs, so they have us by the uraniums ...

Why not replace the nuclear warheads with conventional explosives, then we can fire them at Brussels Sprout land.

IMHO the EU plans to defend itself to the last drop of Irish blood .

Surely though our relationship with the EU must and will have altered significantly by the times this passes into law. There is only so much public pressure you can ignore and it is not as if the UK is becoming more pro-EU.

It is never explained who it is a European defence capability is to defend us from.I need to know,to buy in a stock of flags.

All-purpose European white flags should suffice ... manufactured in France and freely available ex-stock.

The Irish Times' concern is that, if the LIsbon Treaty is ever ratified, then neutral Ireland might be drawn into EU wars. They needn't worry, according to the Telegraph. See:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... first.html

Watchet