Free Republic

No its not just about power its about taking responsibility and that being best done with the combined force of the EU, mainly the big 3 as their the only ones with the resources to do anything. But my being pro EU is not about power its about feeling European about having learned that there is a shared European culture amongst people under 30’s. Travelling around Europe having European friends has just confirmed this as has the youth networks across Europe. Its shown my generation how much a like we are (don't judge us through the distorted lens of the media industry interested only in distorting Europe’s image to America and Americas image to Europe)
Put simply i feel proud to be British and European.
And yes I’ve stated their need to be a more representative EU government and institutions need to be opened up. There has to be political and economic reforms, for this to be more fully accepted

Would like to get into this but the suns shining and my friends are waiting so I must sign off.

I wouldn’t be frightened. I am pro EU but they cannot take from me any of my freedoms (very braveheart ha). I on the other hand can give them certain responsibilities and duties that can only be done on a pan-European level. I will not give away any of this countries authority until I and the people my age see reforms and an opening up of the institutions to even more scrutiny.
As for the referendum it really depends on which polls you view. I have been disappointed to hear that the Tories pollster have refused to work with them because they dishonestly tried to influence the questions being asked and hence the results of polls. Anyway at the moment the best ones indicate that 35% will vote against a30-35% for and the rest are undecided and persuadable. It’s not a foregone conclusion either way despite the propaganda.
I'm sure my father and brother ( both left the service) would thank you, if in a slightly embarrassed way Ha!

I'm from the UK and in my early 20's at university. I’m proud to be British and intend to join the military after my studies like several of my family members. However I am also proud to be an EU citizen and do not hate the EU. I think it is a positive future for people my age. I also don't pick up a general hatred of the EU in this country, most of the people I know approve of the EU, although we do have concerns about certain policies. I would prefer it built up its foreign and military power to be an equal partner of the US to fight and defend democracy alongside them, and as the older generation retires am sure this will happen over the next 10 years.
Although there will be disagreements as this happens the US should welcome a partner on the world stage to help them, not view it as threat.

To self check spelling!

This is not whats happening. The Uk is not givening up the capability to act unilateraly. it s simply a restructuring of some forces, if anyone would read the document and statements. We no longer need so many asw ships, so the navies purchasing more multifunction ships. Also in regards to the flakland there is a signifiacant increase in amphibious capabilities with the new Ocean, +2 albion class ships and 10 new logistc and ro-ro ship capable of carrying troops. Leave us with around 10 assault/equipemnt carrying veseal compared to the US's 32, which is the secind largest in the world i believe.
what the chief of staff was commenting on is sensible, it is unlikely that any country will go to war with out allies for the UK that includes The US AND as was later said the EU or Australia etc. even the Us needs allies if only for logistic and basing support.
Its important to remember that almost 50,000 Uk troops were sent around the world to Help the Us, at the time it was one third of the fighting force and if it had'nt been for the firefighters strike at the time which took tens of thousands of forces away from the standing reaction force then it could have been a larger contribution. People should ready carefully waht is being said and not just the highlights form a news report.

Its not that interesting, the defence sectretary was just stating the obvious , that US UK AND EU share similiar goals and the same threats and must act together and despite our differences we will opporate together to face the threat of roque nations/terrorist etc. The asecretary clarified that hte UK will of course retain the capacity to act alone in its national interests and conduct 2 medium scale operations at the same time or one large scale operation ( the iraq war was considered, according to the defense staff a medium scale operation and despite critisism of overstretch at the time there were additional forces to be called on, tho at the moment this is in doubt for the next 12 months as 40 000 troops need to be rotated out and into iraq over the months)

Actually the ariane has the best record for launches over its history. The problem lay with Ariane 5 and the latest and larger version Ariane 5a which has a huge payload capacity. There were two rockets which have exploded and two more that had faults getting their payloads to the specified orbit (however these satellites appeared to have been able to later reach their designated positions) From what has been said recently these problems have been resovled. The ATV will not be manned at the moment as it is a completely automated vehicle and requires no crew. however it can be manned if needed and is able to be used as a return vehicle in the result of an emergency on the ISS. This first craft will, after 6 months in space, be directed down to the pacific in a decent that should burn up most of the spacecraft.

As oppossed to the US which has a 50% turnout or less. I think that this is a reasonable turnout. Those who do not exercise hard won democratic rights have no right to complain if the don't get the decission the like.

Yes Imram khan does. He is a well respected human rights lawyer. Campaigns against all repressive actions including those in the Muslim community/world.

I think the actions taken by Isreal were completely wrong. Not the stopping and searching but holding two people without any evidence for 11 days and not inform their embassy or contact the red cross is actually I believe illegal. The only grounds that they were held is that they are Muslim and that is wrong. I come from the Uk were we have experienced terrorism so those who will say i do not understand the difficult situation isreal faces are wrong. Also for those who are so paranoid about muslims please wake up, I'm fiercely patrotic about my country and intend after University to join the Military, but I also Know many muslim who also support the UK and western world. Those who are biased indisrimately against muslim should realise there are 1.2 billion, the VAST MAJORITY of who are non violent, and their blinkered views only cause tension with those who are on our side. There are after all plenty of fundamentalist nutters in the Christian and indeed all faiths. It is simply wrong to label 1.2 billion people as simply being terrorists or against the west, people are people and some aspects of the muslim world are deeply repugnant, but remember this is only part of that world.

Quote
"In the EU guidelines, the 15 EU nations agreed countries could exempt serving US military and government personnel from trials at the international tribunal if Washington guarantees that any allegations against them would be investigated and bought to trial in the United States."

All the EU is saying is that if soldiers comit war crimes then they should be punished. Despite the overblown and inflated opinions of some the ICC only comes into force if a crime is committed and the nation they are from does nothing to punish them. This will not happen I hope either in the US or UK/EU. We have independent judiciaries and a public that won't stand for abuses so there is no threat to our soldiers, they will be dealt with inside our systems if they do wrong. The ICC is there to hold to account those countries that tacitly back illegal actions (murder/rape/torture) by not prosocuting those involved. Its seems reasonable to have some way to express the worlds outrage at war crimes.

It would have been impossible to maintain a growing settlement and eventually a large city without access to the territiories. The lease ensured the growth and survival of Hong Kong but also its eventual return.

I welcome a struggle/competition in space not a war or one side telling another what it can do. My problem is that although a friend of the US it seem in recent years that the attitude of some elements in the US has become more agressive and beligerent, that they are the leading power and everyone else should simply follow. This is an impression that I have may be wrong may be true, but any power that feels itself unchallenged is a potentially corrupt power when there is no-one to provide a check on it. This is one of the many reason, none of which are anti-american and i repeat this for those who would read motives in here, that I support the EU as a COMPETITIVE DEMOCRATIC equal to the US, but not an aggressive adversary. No-one should tell others how to define their policies or actions in this or any area that affects its people and wealth creating opportunities. A balance has to be reached, for the benefit of us all including the US and its citizens.

No one should be in charge. I am a supporter of the US but they do not have the right to tell other nations what they can and cannot do in space and were they can go. This is also the same for the europeans, japanese or chinese. We do not have the right to stop the US carrying out its activites but the same goes for America. If the Europeans want to explore space or even put a space plane up there we should not have to ask permission from anyone. This language being used is very antogonistic and can only further complicate issues between the US-EU or japan, India china, brazil russia or any other developing space power.

No not today my exams are finished and I'm feeling relaxed and GOOD today. Just got to unwind and enjoy a long summer! If i was a little touchy before, please accept an apology just slightly stressed these last weeks.

Cheap at any price, even £1.5 billion, to get us a little closer to understanding the universe.

No you have to have been a serving European Prime Minister and that would definately limit foreign candidates! Thankfully

Check his website out, its a bit flimsy but if he does manage to build a working missile then it something for us to think about, especially if he does publish how to do it.

www.interestingprojects.com/cruisemissile