Shrunken British army fears Russia could destroy it in an afternoon!

[Archonite]

Im quite sure the US could also invade most of europe if they wanted. Luckily we live in a world where not every country starts every invasion that it would likely win. If Russia would invade any major countries in europe like France or Germany, they'd start a nuclear war. Taking a country and holding it are two completely different things, if Russia were to overreach they would be nuked back to the stone age. However that doesnt mean there isn't any threat. Countries that share borders with Russia and already have a partial pro-russia population would be at risk.

[Tomyris]

A European Army would be a logistical nightmare. It struggles on basics, such as what language would they communicate in and the fact that France and Britain have non-European territories they would need to protect, so they would still need national armies, or you could come across issues like Spanish troops are having to defend the Falkland Islands from Argentina.

Yeah, but I still think it makes more sense than each individual European country to build up an army to ''not be conquered in an afternoon'' by Russia, I do not see it possible, unless you really go full on crippling your state, spending and modernising all the time, just waiting for a war. It was always about teaming up and show you have support, NATO comes to mind.

[HumbleDuck]

Do you even know what you are talking about?

How do you interpret his qoute on NATO and " US should not pay for others defense" ?
Seeking more dominance over EU?

[AeneasBK]

any why should Russia do that?

There are probably like 3 billion people in this world who could beat me up, but that doesn't mean I am going to waste my time on working out and increasing my strength. I am just too busy surfing the internet ^^

First sensible thing I've seen you post Bravo.

[ezgeze]

We have had the EU countries take the US for granted and deride us as they enjoy certain protections from the US taxpayers/military. I say let them stew it over solo for a while and see how that works out for them again.

[Kalis]

Yeah, but I still think it makes more sense than each individual European country to build up an army to ''not be conquered in an afternoon'' by Russia, I do not see it possible, unless you really go full on crippling your state, spending and modernising all the time, just waiting for a war. It was always about teaming up and show you have support, NATO comes to mind.

As it stands there are two armies in Europe worth a damn (Britain and France), then a couple of others that are effectively cannon fodder (Germany and Italy), then the rest, who don't even qualify as being useful enough to be cannon fodder, they'd just get in the way.

The problem with any proposed European Army is, oddly enough, that you'd want your two best armies in it and neither are suitable for anything more than close military co-operation with allied nations.

France has earnt a reputation as being some sort of peaceniks, but it is bollocks, they are a martial nation, just as Britain is. Compare their willingness to use military force to Sweden, modern Germany, etc. and there is a fundamental issue with incompatible ideas on what an army should be used for - Britain & France like to punch with theirs, the rest not so much to varying degrees.

[Deleted]

A European Army would be a logistical nightmare. It struggles on basics, such as what language would they communicate in and the fact that France and Britain have non-European territories they would need to protect, so they would still need national armies, or you could come across issues like Spanish troops are having to defend the Falkland Islands from Argentina.

Most of the french territories are EU 'soil' though.

[Osmeric]

This is the downside of assuming Uncle Sugar will always be there for you.

[Kalis]

Most of the french territories are EU 'soil' though.

I am not convinced that some random bods from Greece or wherever, will be happy to risk their lives defending Guadeloupe.

What non-French politician is going to agree to sending troops from their country to defend France's ex-Imperial possessions? That's an election loser.

[Mormolyce]

a “competent” enemy such as Russia

You lost me there.

[Deleted]

I am not convinced that some random bods from Greece or wherever, will be happy to risk their lives defending Guadeloupe.

What non-French politician is going to agree to sending troops from their country to defend France's ex-Imperial possessions? That's an election loser.

My point is that they are already obliged to defend them, as per the Lisbon treaty.

[Kalis]

My point is that they are already obliged to defend them, as per the Lisbon treaty.

Good luck with that. I highly doubt that France would want some Cypriot conscripts, such as me, pissing about in their territories with loaded weapons.

A European Army that has France or Britain in it, is going to open itself up to huge potential issues down the road. A military alliance of nations, working in close support of each other, is workable, but we already have that, all that needs to happen is some of the nations who don't like military spending need to start coughing up the readies.

[Deleted]

Good luck with that. I highly doubt that France would want some Cypriot conscripts, such as me, pissing about in their territories with loaded weapons.

A European Army that has France or Britain in it, is going to open itself up to huge potential issues down the road. A military alliance of nations, working in close support of each other, is workable, but we already have that, all that needs to happen is some of the nations who don't like military spending need to start coughing up the readies.

An EU army wouldn't work with conscripts - It needs to be divested of political conflicts, not invested in them.

[Kalis]

An EU army wouldn't work with conscripts - It needs to be divested of political conflicts, not invested in them.

An EU Army wouldn't work full stop. How would you get the likes of Ireland agreeing to anything involving military action? There are too many nations who have fundamentally different attitudes to what an army is for, it is a pipe dream of people who don't realise how varied Europe actually is.

[Gimlix]

That's what you get if you have the most retarded, butthurt goverment you can think off.
Not that i don't like the way they are leading europe right now, i am a very happy man.
But they should be harder against refugees and have alot more stronger army.

I feel like EU wants to be invaded.

[Deleted]

An EU Army wouldn't work full stop. How would you get the likes of Ireland agreeing to anything involving military action? There are too many nations who have fundamentally different attitudes to what an army is for, it is a pipe dream of people who don't realise how varied Europe actually is.

If an EE army would only be subject to the EP, who could set its budget and appoint the CIC, and otherwise having broad discretionary powers of using Force, it wouldn't be a national issue.

[Aeula]

Whelp, our army has been a joke since the end of World War II. But I think the view that we'd be fucked in an afternoon is a little pessimistic. We still spend more than most. That said I would like to see us spend a hell of a lot more than we do on the military.

[Kalis]

If an EE army would only be subject to the EP, who could set its budget and appoint the CIC, and otherwise having broad discretionary powers of using Force, it wouldn't be a national issue.

The problem with that is things like Irish troops being sent off to fight what would effectively be a legacy of colonialism. Their history means they aren't too keen on that sort of thing over there, so it would become a national issue.

It is one of those ideas that seems like it might work, until you realise it goes against the very foundations of some countries in the EU.

[Deleted]

The problem with that is things like Irish troops being sent off to fight what would effectively be a legacy of colonialism. Their history means they aren't too keen on that sort of thing over there, so it would become a national issue.

It is one of those ideas that seems like it might work, until you realise it goes against the very foundations of some countries in the EU.

They would't be Irish troops and the Irish PM wouldn't have a say over their use.

[Aggrophobic]

I thought the idea was that you band together with your allies and in that way you don't have to spend as much on your defence.
The UK does not seem as intrested in having allies anymore though so maybe they need to start spending more on their own defence.