woolley Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Only a fool can fail to see the writing on the wall here. Lot of 'em about though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody2 Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 they cant afford to pay nato commitments, france and germany have 1/2 of the eu's unfunded pensions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 If they want NATO protection in the future they will have to pay, that much seems clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody2 Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Announcing the 2017 spending target, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said "we're moving in the right direction, but we can't do it in one year". Germany's defence spending in 2017 will be 1.2% of GDP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Announcing the 2017 spending target, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said "we're moving in the right direction, but we can't do it in one year". Germany's defence spending in 2017 will be 1.2% of GDP So in a couple of weeks by laying it on the line Trump has made them act on what former US presidents have been whingeing on about for decades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody2 Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 but why can't they afford it? or is it a myth about germanys finances..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) From the (normally) apallingly liberal BBC, this is an excellent piece of objective work on the current state of the EU. Katya Adler take a bow. Anyone see it? http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08dx4lz/this-world-after-brexit-the-battle-for-europe Forget left and right. Could some of you who have been arguing that leaving this crumbling edifice is the end of the world for the UK please watch it and explain why this is a useful organisation to be involved with? Or at least recognise that the EU is not the unchanging "stability" option? The interview with Guy Verhofstadt was instructive. This man who, appropriately, resides on floor 5½ of the EU Parliament building in Brussels is the lead negotiator for the EU over Brexit. His words suggested that he never actually emerges from that building, such is his denial over what is happening all over the continent. Even the BBC woman was clearly dumbfounded at what he had to say about closer integration in the future. At the end you wonder what the whole thing is for. Trade? What has it to do with trade? If it disappeared tomorrow trade would continue unmolested. Edited February 10, 2017 by woolley 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilp Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 Excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmanx Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 Apparently she isn't as popular with the Euro sceptics as you are making out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) Apparently she isn't as popular with the Euro sceptics as you are making out... What do you mean? I didn't comment on her popularity or otherwise. I thought her programme was objective and she didn't seek to slant it. Edited February 10, 2017 by woolley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilp Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 He's just looking for another opportunity to dribble on with the usual clichéd narrative... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the stinking enigma Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 I refuse to read anything from the state sponsored bbc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 I refuse to read anything from the state sponsored bbc. It's OK just this once, Stinky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmanx Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 He's just looking for another opportunity to dribble on with the usual clichéd narrative... Maybe if you looked it up rather having a ham fisted "pop" at me.. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/11367282/People-diary-the-BBC-attacked-over-Europe-editor-bias.html https://biasedbbc.org/blog/2015/07/01/katya-adler-the-peoples-reporter/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarne Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 One thing I'm interested in is how brexit will affect tourism/citizenship in Europe. In Cyprus for example there's an absolute ton of Isle of Man TT signs which I can only presume are shops held by manxies. (let's see the DED try and stop them using the tt logo!) I presume it'll be the same because we aren't in the schengen area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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