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"Only when Europe has a common foreign and security policy, as we have a single market and single currency, will we be taken seriously," he said.

Man, the German bankers still p.o.'d that Britain didn't convert to the Euro.

I recall the EU, at least the French and Germans, called for an "EU fighting force." Yeah, right. Some soldier is going to fight for Brussels. The Brits responded with the NATO fighting force for world deployment - Nato plans army of 250,000 to fight 'anywhere'

"Nato is organising three rapid-reaction corps in its effort to reinvent a role for itself after being sidelined by America in the Afghan war.

The alliance would like to be able to put more than 100,000 men into a campaign, and envisages a total force in excess of 250,000, capable of combat in three conflicts in any part of the world for up to two years.

The British-led Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) will form the spearhead of the "new type of conflict" after the end of the Cold War. Five other corps – led by the Italians, the Spanish, the Germans, the Dutch, Turkey and a Franco-German Eurocorps – are also being formed. They are expected to be amalgamated into two, to supplement the ARRC.

The various corps will be multinational, with ARRC, for which the UK will supply 60 per cent of the personnel, as their model. Nato's plans to present a united force for use in global conflict is the result of soul-searching in response to the US making clear it is capable of mounting military operations without help from its allies."

Note how it will be (thankfully) British led. And what is the "Franco-German Eurocorps?" Creepy, some plan probably already on the books, now being coopted.

Ive been reading some serious National Defense University research on the Franco-German Corp. It seems the Corps will use the latest in technology along with elite fighting units. The Corp will consist of 2 Parts French and German. The French half will be responsible for Deception, they will pretend to attack while the Germans fight. The beauty is, advanced tests have determined the French have no intel security leak possibilities as they arent not being informed they will feint an attack. They will be just told to attack. The faultering of the attack will likely come quick or better yet a surrender which could possibly slow down and confuse any enemy attack. Using a 3 to 1 ratio for "attack" the French feel confident they can take out any platoon with a company of elite French troops.

Interesting concepts in NATO's "three rapid reaction" forces, and the other independent multi-national forces. Well, if it helps the non-Anglo forces save face. Fortunately, the British forces get to circumvent for the most part having to account to a German or worse yet -- French military authority.

Yeah, how about the appropo monicker indeed -- "creepy" Franco-German Euro-Corps.?? Isn't that like mating a beagle with a pit bull? The first area of contention between the two "allies" will be the French Army's insistance on chartreuse and muave chamoflage "gear."