Regards, So Long, Farewell, Auf-Wiedersehen, Goodbye
Capt G.
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| Europe |
| Brussels Wants Its Own Navy, One Way Or Another |
| 2006-05-21 |
| The European Commission has drawn up plans to set up a European coastguard, which critics fear is a back-door attempt by Brussels to create an EU navy with its own powers to stop and search shipping. Plans to upgrade the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) into a fully-fledged coastguard are buried in a document revising European Union (EU) transport policy that is due to be published next month. They come on the back of other "empire building" moves by Brussels, including a planned EU army, a common foreign policy and diplomatic service, and a European-wide policy on energy. The commission says a European coastguard would help to enforce maritime legislation. It would have the authority to intercept shipping across all of Europe's traditional maritime borders, which could require that crews be armed - and raises questions of national sovereignty over coastal waters. Lloyd's List, the daily newspaper which covers the maritime industry, accused the commission of attempting to build up a navy by stealth in a leading article last week. "The concept of a European coastguard has a federalist charm about it that causes eyes to brighten instantly among gatherings of Europhiles, tired of endless discussions about fish or agriculture," the newspaper said. "In a way, it is a European navy, by the back door." Julian Brazier, the shadow shipping minister, said: "This is very worrying news. It seems the empire building ambitions of Brussels know no bounds. The drift towards an EU navy must be stopped." Mr Brazier has tabled a parliamentary question demanding to know the Government's position on the EU coastguard plans. "The plan would be a betrayal of the maritime history of our country and the tens of thousands of men and women currently involved in our maritime sector," he said. The commission document is written in French and entitled Préparer la Mobilité de Demain (Preparing Tomorrow's Mobility). In it, the commission says it believes the time has come to consider the "concept of a European coastguard". Such a body would improve passenger safety at sea and environmental protection legislation, it says. Its main role initially would be to avert maritime pollution disasters, such as the oil slick that devastated French and Spanish Atlantic coasts in 2002, when the aged Prestige tanker snapped in half. The coastguard would be easy to implement, the commission notes, because the EU can "from today call on the support of the safety agencies", including EMSA. The Lisbon-based agency came to life two years ago as a technical body to help the commission to draw up maritime legislation. But its remit and staffing levels have increased rapidly since then. It controls a small fleet of ships and has a staff of around 120 - more than twice the number originally envisaged. The European parliament has long supported forming an EU coastguard, claiming that the principle of the coastguard is already accepted by all EU governments, including Britain. The Council of Ministers, the institution that represents governments in Brussels, last year agreed to a feasibility study on its creation. Until now, however, it has not been official EU policy. Critics say a European coastguard would be more complicated to set up than a European army because national coastguards today have varying functions, both military and civil. Willem de Ruiter, the executive director of EMSA, says talk of the agency becoming a fully-fledged coastguard was "far-fetched and unrealistic". He said: "Many people don't understand what they mean when they say 'coastguard'. Are they talking about military operations or civil operations, or both?" |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #16 Yep. My bust. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2006-05-21 20:20 |
| #15 San Francisco Bay...looking due West towards Sutro Tower (radio TV tower) is just in back of Twin Peaks.. Barge looks to be heading from Hunters Point Ship Yard area to to Alameda Air Station in the East Bay. the open water between the two is also the quarantine area for ships waiting Coast Guard and Customs. San Francisco Bay bridge would be just out of sight to the right. |
| Posted by: RD 2006-05-21 20:10 |
| #14 not with that tower to the left on the bayside |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-05-21 16:07 |
| #13 at first glance they're transporting the airplane somewhere (San Diego, Pensacola?) San Diego. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2006-05-21 15:30 |
| #12 woops, 2nd half of video Sukhoi Su-33 naval variants very purdy, enjoy. |
| Posted by: RD 2006-05-21 13:12 |
| #11 Brussels Wants Its Own Navy, One Way Or Another to protect itself from France... * the other opposition: 2nd half of video Sukhoi Su-33 naval variants very purdy, enjoy. Sukhoi Su-33 |
| Posted by: RD 2006-05-21 13:09 |
| #10 That's the batmobile preparing for underwater trials. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-05-21 12:43 |
| #9 not SD - no radio tower along north end of bay (Airport flight path) and the topography's wrong... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-05-21 12:37 |
| #8 DMFD that's a marvelous picture on many levels, at first glance they're transporting the airplane somewhere (San Diego, Pensacola?) by water, but after a bit of thought you could launch and recover a Harrier this way. Hummmm, |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2006-05-21 12:11 |
| #7 This isn't aimed at US ships, at least not at first. It's aimed at bringing all European countries to heel in compliance with their unelected masters in Brussels. THEN they impose their economically-destructive policies on anyone else who trades with them ... i.e. the US, because there's no way in hell they'll try it with China. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-05-21 06:26 |
| #6 I stand ready to assume command of the EU Navy. Please querry Austria Navy for more info. Regards, So Long, Farewell, Auf-Wiedersehen, Goodbye Capt G. |
| Posted by: Capt Von Trapp 2006-05-21 06:04 |
| #5 chocolate floats. lol! Brussel's pouts. |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-05-21 04:47 |
| #4 Chocolate floats? Who knew? |
| Posted by: random styling 2006-05-21 01:56 |
| #3 Let 'em try and stop an American vessel. At the first shot fired across their bow, the EUnichs will turn tail and run for shore. These clowns are a legend in their own minds. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-05-21 01:30 |
| #2 Why is the article in non-WOT? EUrabia is one of the second-tier terrorism enablers. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-05-21 01:14 |
#1 EU Aircraft Carrier |
| Posted by: DMFD 2006-05-21 00:54 |