13 hours ago, webfact said:

European Union governments need to be willing to intervene in international crises

Germany has never had a problem with that.

45 minutes ago, vogie said:

It would appear that the EUs chickens are coming home to roost.

 

The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union has left a huge €75bn (£62bn) hole in the bloc’s budget for the next seven years, 2021 to 2027. “And now we are fighting like ferrets in a sack,” said one EU diplomat with a sigh.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/16/stressed-heads-to-start-brussels-budget-talks-post-brexit

Think of the money they are going to get from tariffs.

 

1 minute ago, Rookiescot said:

Think of the money they are going to get from tariffs.

 

Why bring the Welsh into it?

16 minutes ago, TheDark said:

Can't wait the future, when England-Wales union is surrounded by EU armies from almost all sides. 

 

 

Almost, maybe, but not from the north either. You can't form an army out of snowflakes. I would trust that the proud and true Scotsmen in the British Army, like all British soldiers, will honour their sworn allegiance to The Queen and not to Röschen von der Leyen. 

2 hours ago, TheDark said:

Can't wait the future, when England-Wales union is surrounded by EU armies from almost all sides. 

 

 

Well we have been there before, panned out OK in the end. Mind you we didn't have to worry about the Belgian Special Forces then!

 

There again, as the old joke has it: the difference between the Belgian Army and a slice of toast - you can make soldiers out of a slice of toast!

11 hours ago, JonnyF said:

The EU's appetite for power is already causing many issues and will contribute to it's demise.

 

It's supposed to be a trading bloc. Leave it that way.

The EEC was founded as a trading bloc, but at the treaty of Lisbon migrated in a much more concentrated Union, ratifiid by the UK parliament 

11 March 2008	House of Commons	346	206		16 July 2008	[76]
18 June 2008	House of Lords	Passed				[77][78]
19 June 2008	Royal Assent	Granted

2 hours ago, vogie said:

It would appear that the EUs chickens are coming home to roost.

 

The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union has left a huge €75bn (£62bn) hole in the bloc’s budget for the next seven years, 2021 to 2027. “And now we are fighting like ferrets in a sack,” said one EU diplomat with a sigh.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/16/stressed-heads-to-start-brussels-budget-talks-post-brexit

This "huge" gap will quickly be filled by import duty over the UK goeodss into the EU.

For the rest: the EU plans a LOT more activities as in the past, for instance a much tighter border control ( in the Mediterranen) .

For me even no problem if also all medicine developments will be contracted under EU supervidion and done buy the EU Universities. Also very quick lower in costs as what is paid now to the pharma co's 

2 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

How is it just a trading bloc when it has a currency, a central bank, a national anthem, and a government & civil service?

The EU does NOT have a government. Read EU Council, EU Commission and EU Parliament.

3 hours ago, AdamKnight said:

An EU army is not a million miles from a 4th Reich and is everyone's problem.  

Never so many people were forced in one empire as under the British. Far more as the Nazi's ever could think of. Concentration camps were invented by the British to beak the Boers in South Africa and later the Philippino's by the USA. 

10 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

Never so many people were forced in one empire as under the British. Far more as the Nazi's ever could think of. Concentration camps were invented by the British to beak the Boers in South Africa and later the Philippino's by the USA. 

Yes  always the Bad bits never the good bits

the EU is rapidly signing up 6 more poverty stricken ex commmie countries to bolster their armory so desperate are they to prop up their crumbling USEU

23 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

This "huge" gap will quickly be filled by import duty over the UK goeodss into the EU.

For the rest: the EU plans a LOT more activities as in the past, for instance a much tighter border control ( in the Mediterranen) .

For me even no problem if also all medicine developments will be contracted under EU supervidion and done buy the EU Universities. Also very quick lower in costs as what is paid now to the pharma co's 

Maybe the French could sell crepe suzettes to returning British holidaymakers in Calais to bridge the shortfall.

the UK can live without french wines and cheese and dutch pork loins and spanish tommys as they will soon find out when bojo kicks their sorry rear ends ,they can be sourced from elsewhere pretty quickly

39 minutes ago, JAG said:

Well we have been there before, panned out OK in the end. Mind you we didn't have to worry about the Belgian Special Forces then!

 

There again, as the old joke has it: the difference between the Belgian Army and a slice of toast - you can make soldiers out of a slice of toast!

It's the EU forces collected to Scotland and Ireland, England needs to be worried of. 

 

I wonder who gets to keep the Trident, once UK splits?

 

From the history we have already learned, no nation should give up their nukes. Aka Russian occupation of Crimea, when USA, Russia and Europe guaranteed Ukraine's security when Ukraine gave up their nukes.  

25 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

This "huge" gap will quickly be filled by import duty over the UK goeodss into the EU.

It doesn't work like that. Tariffs are designed to limit imports from outside. If fewer UK goods are imported, then import duties will be minimal. Simple economics. 

 

And furthermore, if the UK agrees an FTA with the EU, where will your import duties come from then? 

3 minutes ago, TheDark said:

It's the EU forces collected to Scotland and Ireland, England needs to be worried of. 

 

I wonder who gets to keep the Trident, once UK splits?

Fantasy land. I bet you love playing with toy soldiers ????

1 minute ago, CG1 Blue said:

Fantasy land. I bet you love playing with toy soldiers ????

Nah, I rather play with people's minds. It's good fun to make people think of the real consequences of their actions.

43 minutes ago, JAG said:

the difference between the Belgian Army and a slice of toast - you can make soldiers out of a slice of toast!

Never understood the need of us Belgians to have an army. 

We have military who speak French who don't undestand Flemish orders, and vice-versa. 

What a waste of funds. 

 

46 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

This "huge" gap will quickly be filled by import duty over the UK goeodss into the EU.

For the rest: the EU plans a LOT more activities as in the past, for instance a much tighter border control ( in the Mediterranen) .

For me even no problem if also all medicine developments will be contracted under EU supervidion and done buy the EU Universities. Also very quick lower in costs as what is paid now to the pharma co's

So unbelievable, so delusional: GB runs at a massive trade deficit to the EU (for the cheap seats they export more to the UK than the UK exports to the EU). Sorry to burst your bubble but the world is far bigger than the EU and the emerging markets are not inside the EU. Just remember it took 7 years and then it's not even 100% trade deal with Canada. Let that sink in 7 years. Is Germany going to try and blockade our ports again as the Eastern European countries are starting to get cold feet as the EU starts to morph into a Russia style dictatorship which they spent 70 years escaping from. Very delusional. 

1 hour ago, puipuitom said:

The EEC was founded as a trading bloc, but at the treaty of Lisbon migrated in a much more concentrated Union, ratifiid by the UK parliament 

11 March 2008	House of Commons	346	206		16 July 2008	[76]
18 June 2008	House of Lords	Passed				[77][78]
19 June 2008	Royal Assent	Granted

Perhaps we should have had the referendum then and saved another 12 years of time?

1 hour ago, puipuitom said:

This "huge" gap will quickly be filled by import duty over the UK goeodss into the EU.

For the rest: the EU plans a LOT more activities as in the past, for instance a much tighter border control ( in the Mediterranen) .

For me even no problem if also all medicine developments will be contracted under EU supervidion and done buy the EU Universities. Also very quick lower in costs as what is paid now to the pharma co's 

No import duties on the far larger of EU goods into the UK then? 

1 minute ago, nauseus said:

No import duties on the far larger of EU goods into the UK then? 

Which naturally means that EU can keep all the moneys and export freely to the UK, while UK producers have to lower their product prices to be able to compete with EU markets. 

 

Sounds like a good deal for the EU. Doesn't it?

 

1 hour ago, puipuitom said:

The EU does NOT have a government. Read EU Council, EU Commission and EU Parliament.

And they issue directives and make rules & regulations, it isn't a supra-national government? Keep drinking the Kool-Aid.

8 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Perhaps we should have had the referendum then and saved another 12 years of time?

EU treaties HAVE to be passed by every member state. That's why when countries like Ireland vote no, they're made to vote again until they give the CORRECT answer. Nothing can stand in the way of the grand-project.

Just now, TheDark said:

Which naturally means that EU can keep all the moneys and export freely to the UK, while UK producers have to lower their product prices to be able to compete with EU markets. 

 

Sounds like a good deal for the EU. Doesn't it?

 

Whatever you do, never accept a TV invitation from Andrew Neil.

2 minutes ago, Andrew65 said:

EU treaties HAVE to be passed by every member state. That's why when countries like Ireland vote no, they're made to vote again until they give the CORRECT answer. Nothing can stand in the way of the grand-project.

It was a sarcastic comment. Rare for me of course.

 

Well we didn't lay down in front of the EU GP either.

1 minute ago, nauseus said:

Whatever you do, never accept a TV invitation from Andrew Neil.

I think he'll be in Portugal by the time that opportunity arises.

5 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Whatever you do, never accept a TV invitation from Andrew Neil.

I will not. In RealLife(tm) I tend to limit my exposure with morons to the minimum.

3 hours ago, sirineou said:

and when ideas end nervous laughter begines.  

Arty Shaw?

11 hours ago, wombat said:

any Democrats like to comment on how their 401(k) is doing?

 

.