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European Salon de News, Discussion et Klatsch - 9 February | 117 comments (117 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Why the EU can never replace NATO (none / 0)

Who will trust the CFSP when our so called EU allies behave like this?

But hey, I guess the French think they can sell us Exocets now...

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Mon Feb 8th, 2010 at 07:06:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why the EU can never replace NATO (4.00 / 2)

Les exportations d'armement de la France ont fortement progressé en 2009 \| 08/02/2010 - AFP via leParisien.fr		French Arms Exports Rose Significantly in 2009 \| 08/02/2010 - AFP via leParisien.fr
Les exportations d'armement des industries françaises ont fortement progressé l'an dernier à près de 8 milliards d'euros, a annoncé lundi la Direction générale de l'armement (DGA), qui espère atteindre un chiffre encore plus élevé en 2010. Les prises de commandes ont augmenté de 21% à 7,95 milliards d'euros en 2009 contre 6,58 milliards un an plus tôt, ont annoncé lors d'une présentation à la presse les responsables de la DGA, qui dépend du ministère français de la Défense. Le bilan compte notamment la vente de quatre sous-marins d'attaque Scorpène au Brésil, qui avait été annoncée fin 2008. "Nous renouons avec les chiffres des années 2000 malgré la crise", s'est félicité le directeur général de l'armement Laurent Collet-Billon. La France est le quatrième exportateur mondial d'armements, derrière les Etats-Unis, le Royaume-Uni et la Russie, et devant Israël, selon un rapport du ministère de la Défense publié l'an dernier. Mais elle peine à maintenir son rang, s'inquiétait alors ce rapport. L'objectif de la France est d'atteindre les 10 milliards d'euros d'exporations à moyen terme. Pour 2010, elle espère faire mieux que l'an dernier, ce qui passe par la "réussite d'un certain nombre de +prospects+", a souligné M. Collet-Billon. Parmi les contrats potentiels, la vente de quatre bâtiments de projection et de commandement (BPC) de classe Mistral à la Russie, qui s'était jusqu'alors montrée intéressée par l'achat d'un seul de ces navires porte-hélicoptères. <...>		Exports of the French arms industry rose significantly last year to nearly 8 billion euros, the DGA [General Delegation for Ordnance] announced on Monday, who hopes to reach an even higher number in 2010. Orders increased by 21% to 7.95 billion euros in 2009 in contrast to 6.58 billion euros a year earlier, officials from the DGA announced at a press conference. The DGA is part of the French Ministry of Defense. The results notably include the sale of four Scorpène attack submarines to Brazil, which was announced at the end of 2008. "Despite the crisis, we're back to numbers from the 2000s," beamed Laurent Collet-Billon, the general director of arms. France is the world's fourth largest arms exporter, behind the United States, the United Kingdon, and Russia, and in front of Israel, according to a report by the Ministry of Defense published last year. But it is struggling to maintain that rank, the report worried. France's objective is to reach 10 billion euros in exports in the mid-term. For 2010, France hopes to do better than last year, which would happen with "the success of a certain number of +prospects+," emphasized Mr. Collet-Billon. Among the potential contracts is the sale of four Mistral class projection and command vessels (BPC) to Russia, who until now had shown interest in buying only one of these naval helicopter ships. <...>

The march of civilizations is a series of defenses that man has put up against the dread of pure existence.

by marco (cowannar at gmail punkt com) on Tue Feb 9th, 2010 at 03:06:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why the EU can never replace NATO (none / 1)

[Starvid's Rysskräck Technology™]

Do you seriously expect a Russian attack on Sweden in your lifetime!?

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Feb 9th, 2010 at 05:28:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Better Question (4.00 / 2)

When is Sweden joining NATO?

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Tue Feb 9th, 2010 at 05:38:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Better Question (none / 0)

In reality or in name? We were under the US nuclear umbrella from 1961 to the end of the cold war.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Wed Feb 10th, 2010 at 01:54:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Better Question (none / 1)

If that ended together with the cold war I guess reality would now be required. The Fins are making bigger strides than the Swedes, fwiw.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Wed Feb 10th, 2010 at 04:17:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Better Question (none / 1)

The only chance I see of Sweden joining NATO is if Finland does it first, or if the horrible situation in our armed forces continues as a crisis arrives.

There is actually a leftist conspiracy theory that our defence has been so badly fucked up on purpose, so there will be no alternative to NATO membership when the bad times return.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Wed Feb 10th, 2010 at 06:21:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why the EU can never replace NATO (none / 0)

I'd say the risk is about 1 % every single year.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Wed Feb 10th, 2010 at 01:51:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why the EU can never replace NATO (none / 0)

And one must of course, as in all insurance matters multiply the risk with the expected damage. 1% is not necesarilly full scale invasion and occupation of the entire country, but conflicts are not black and white. There is a wide spectrum of scales of grey between the deepest peace and nuclear war.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Wed Feb 10th, 2010 at 01:53:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why the EU can never replace NATO (none / 0)

Further, the risk can be both reduced or increased radically if we have a strong defence on one hand or if we are a security black hole on the other.

As the old saying goes: every country has an army - its own or somebody elses.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Wed Feb 10th, 2010 at 06:23:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

European Salon de News, Discussion et Klatsch - 9 February | 117 comments (117 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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