Britain could be forced out of the EU, warns Chirac

The Times ^ | April 29, 2004 | CHARLES BREMNER IN PARIS

[Eurotwit]

I think that is largely right.

The ironic thing (if I remember correctly) is that in 1972 when the UK had its referendum to join the EU (EEC) it was the opposite, and it largely contributed to Britain joining.

[truth_seeker]

"Britians sovereignty depends on them staying out of the EU."

Britain is presently in the UK. (They haven't yet adopted the Euro currency.)

"Staying out" seems to not be an option.

"Getting out" would be.

[bannie]

Good, I like our friends to be our friends.

(p.s. I like the word, scuppering.)

[longtermmemmory]

Euro-flation is a very real phenomenon which the European central bank has fought very hard to conceal.

With rare exception, the EU is still in recession and will remain so for the forseable future.

[Vigilanteman]

So M Chirac is torqued because Tony Blair is acting like an elected leader of a soverign nation instead of a EU elitist bureaucrat. If Chirac wants to boot Britain, we should welcome them into NAFTA. Maybe they could help us by taking a few Mexican immigrants and sending their Muslim extremist population packing.

[Tax Government]

Britain should run, while it still can, from the EU.

[Freakazoid]

"Please don't throw me into that briar patch!"

[jslade]

They could become our 51st. state.

[expatpat]

If you use the true technical meaning of Aryan (e.g., include Iranians and Pakistanis and Indians, for example) then it will be Aryan too.

[Mears]

Laughing about your reply and moving the UK here.

I just took my 8 year old grandaughter to Concord,Mass to tell her about the American revolution and the Redcoats(since they don't seem to care about teaching this in her very liberal school system).

I'd like to try to explain the paddling of the UK westward and attaching it to the US.

[Fred Hayek]

This is an example of why the European Union is doomed to failure. The EU goal is to run every detail in its member states, to the point of micromanagement. Outside of France, Germany, and Belgium, the EU is going to be running into varying degrees of resistance. So the EU's response to such resistance, objections to micromanagement from Brussels, what have you, will likely be Brussels getting more heavy handed, instead of reliquishing power to local control regarding local concerns. Thus, the EU will eventually collapse into a bloody mess (likely war?),

[SamAdams76]

Great Britain is too good a nation to be mixed up with those Euro-creeps. Consider for a moment that in 1940, when France was overrun by the Nazis, they not only capitulated willingly but agree to work with the Nazis for the defeat of Britain. This despite the fact that Britain vowed to fight for their liberation "to the end." When France was busy trying to surrender to Germany, the RAF tried to launch a bombing raid from a French airfield. What did the French do? They parked trucks in the middle of the runways so that the British planes couldn't take off! They didn't want to "anger" the Germans (who were in the process of destroying their country).

I can go on and on with the treachery of France. While England was left all alone to fight France's battle, the Vichy French were busy keeping their naval fleet out of British hands and actively working with the Nazis to bring on England's defeat. Still, the English continued the fight and eventually, with an assist from the USA, liberated France. The result being that the French now hate the Americans as much as the British.

I say that England should tell the EU to go screw. Instead, Great Britain ought to get together with the U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand, Canada (minus Quebec) and form an economic union of "English Speaking Countries."

I think this was a dream of Winston Churchill, perhaps the greatest man to live in the 20th century.

[JudgemAll]

Good, let us split the EU in half, with one competing against the other. Chiraq can then curl up eating his own arms.

[lainde]

What an obnoxious little wannabe dictator. Save yourself Britain! This is a golden final opportunity to avoid the Euro cesspool!

[valkyrieanne]

Excellent news. Better Great Britain simply not join the EU under its new constitution, than for us to have to go rescue them from military occupation by the Axis of Weasels.

[truth_seeker]

"I say that England should tell the EU to go screw."

As originally conceived, the EU was to be a free trade union. It has grown to be so much more, and with that comes heavy baggage.

It is not useful to single out just Britain, as being "too good" for the present EU. Most nations have joined. (But not Switzerland, Norway, Iceland--to date; maybe I missed some non-joiners).

If they all opted to revert back to the original purpose ONLY it would be okay with me. Notice Oil Rich Norway keeps her 4 million souls free, from subsidizing poorer nations, by staying OUT. Same for Switzerland.

[Oztrich Boy]

Under a"ratify-or-leave" scheme devised by the EU Commission, the 25 member states would first approve and ratify a separate treaty which gave countries two years to endorse the Constitution or give up membership. Departing states would retain their existing EU rights on trade and movement as associate members like Norway and Switzerland.

And the down-side of this is?