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Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 02:01:24 2008

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Eurowho? Now this certainly seems to be a maverick organization; even though they claim to be ready to act at the behest of the EU and NATO, they really answer to nobody, and it appears to be a mystery as to where their loyalties lie, in spite of the "political links" mentioned below. (Funny enough, English is the "command language"; all members must know that language.) They were active in the Balkans during the 90s, and they've been in Afghanistan. They do have a very interesting insignia.

Eurocorps is about 60,000 strong right now, and Poland's troop contribution is expected to be about 3,000.

EU Observer

Poland to beef up European military club

15.05.2008 - 09:19 CET | By Philippa Runner

Poland has opted to become a full member of the EU and NATO-linked military club, Eurocorps, in a move designed to spur on the creation of a significant European defence capability.

Warsaw from 2009 is to pledge 3,000 soldiers to the existing 60,000-strong Eurocorps force, hold 15 officer-level posts and forward a deputy director to the Strasbourg-based outfit, Polish media report.

The club currently consists of full members France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg as well as eight junior partners, including Poland, who each contribute a handful of technical staff.

Eurocorps is not an EU institution. It was set up as an independent Franco-German project in 1992 to help support EU, NATO and UN operations, seeing active service in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan so far.

The organisation has strong political links to the EU, however.
Its badge is a sword superimposed on a map of Europe and the EU's golden stars. A Eurocorps unit hoisted the EU flag and played the EU anthem outside the EU parliament in Strasbourg on "Europe Day" last week.

"Our decision to fully join Eurocorps comes from the conviction that Europe is becoming the second pillar of our national security alongside NATO," Polish defence minister Bogdan Klich said in Polish daily Rzeczpospolita on Thursday (15 May).

"We treat NATO as the main security pillar, but we cannot forget Europe is increasing its capabilities and this stands behind our desire to join this process."

The EU has a mixed bag of military cooperation projects under its European security and defence policy chapter, with an EU-flag peacekeeping force currently at work in Chad.

But the new Lisbon Treaty could deepen military integration with a new article that envisages "the progressive framing of a common defence policy [that] will lead to a common defence, when the European Council, acting unanimously, so decides."

"We have to start a discussion on increasing the planning and operational capabilities of the EU. We expect a serious debate will start under the French [EU] presidency," Poland's Mr Klich said.


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(319587)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Greg_UWS on Mon May 19 02:09:48 2008, in response to Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 02:01:24 2008.

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It appears that you post this because maybe it represents a threat? To whom?

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(319589)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 02:12:51 2008, in response to Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Greg_UWS on Mon May 19 02:09:48 2008.

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Oh, it could be this big. (Might sound like hyperbole, but if you do some research into the nature of the EU, it may become clear.)



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(319590)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Greg_UWS on Mon May 19 02:15:12 2008, in response to Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 02:12:51 2008.

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Well, I won't be concerned until the Vatican throws in a few Swiss guards. Then I'll join you in Paranoia Land. HA!

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(319591)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 02:21:16 2008, in response to Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Greg_UWS on Mon May 19 02:15:12 2008.

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Either way, keep your eye on developments like this. We do have a newly-aggressive Pontifex Maximus at the helm of the Vatican, now that you mention it.

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(319597)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Greg_UWS on Mon May 19 02:47:45 2008, in response to Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 02:21:16 2008.

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Oh I know there's a new Pontifex. And I know he keeps you awake at night worrying that a revived Holy Roman Empire is just around the corner.

Even were this so (it isn't), how could anything a re-testosteroned Europe might do compare to the devastation we've caused from THIS side of the Atlantic??

Given the muscle-flexing going on in the Far East (coupled with their educated work force and acquired know-how and cash), I'd think you'd welcome a little show-and-tell here in The West!! (Remember The West-- of which we are a part??!!??)

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(319601)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 03:09:50 2008, in response to Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Greg_UWS on Mon May 19 02:47:45 2008.

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how could anything a re-testosteroned Europe might do compare to the devastation we've caused from THIS side of the Atlantic?

What "devastation" is that? Starting to believe the enemy's propaganda? The only devastation that has ensued is what we should have prevented through actually acknowledging the enemy and stopping him (think of which Asia Minor country I keep harping on).

And are you thinking of which country is in control of said "re-testosteroned Europe"? That area of the world is renowned for unjustified bloodshed and has been the center of two of the worst wars in human history, both in but one century. When I report that right-wing politicians are gaining popularity in the countries of that union that hold the most influence, that seems to fall on deaf ears. We fought in those wars in order to emasculate the militarism of that continent, and of that country at the center of the violence.

Remember The West-- of which we are a part?

We've never been a part of "The West". That's what the EU wants us to believe.

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(319673)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Mon May 19 17:06:37 2008, in response to Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 02:01:24 2008.

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Whatever happened to the good old days with the French Foreign Legion?

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(319703)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 21:16:22 2008, in response to Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Orange Blossom Special on Mon May 19 17:06:37 2008.

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We're going further back to the bad old days.

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(319812)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Greg_UWS on Tue May 20 03:16:39 2008, in response to Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 03:09:50 2008.

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"We've never been a part of "The West"....

We haven't? Then of what have we been a part??

Let me guess. You sleep at night with the lights on....

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(319815)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Olog-hai on Tue May 20 03:21:39 2008, in response to Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Greg_UWS on Tue May 20 03:16:39 2008.

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In character, we are very different from the Occident. That's why there's such animosity.

(What part of the world is Australia in?)

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(319819)

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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Greg_UWS on Tue May 20 03:34:50 2008, in response to Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Olog-hai on Tue May 20 03:21:39 2008.

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To their chagrin, I regularly called Australians "Asians." They don't like it.

Different in character? I wouldn't put it that way. I'd say there's a different social contract. The U.S. enjoys the "rugged individualist" image (a.k.a., survival of the fittest, sink or swim) although it's been watered down a tad. Europeans see themselves as more a part of-- and contributing to-- the community.

Maybe that's why there's been the feeling on this side of the Atlantic that public transit is for losers. (Recall the Texan who screamed.. "You wanna ride trolleys?? Go to EUROPE!") REAL men go to work in CARS.. preferably SUVs. In very short order, we'll regret that we've evolved geographically to make this the ONLY choice for far too many of us. Europe-- knowing that THIS day would come-- evolved differently-- and wisely.

BTW.. where would you situate Canada on the US / "West" scale?? Huh?



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Re: Poland ready to Join Eurocorps

Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue May 20 17:33:51 2008, in response to Poland ready to Join Eurocorps, posted by Olog-hai on Mon May 19 02:01:24 2008.

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Are they going to replace the submarines with the screen doors first?

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