I disagree. This is occurring progressively: and the forces will become ever more significant; and quite quickly, within a dozen years say. The next stage is for individual nations to scale back their separate armed forces: and that will be a slog with some parts of some electorate. Nato is under fairly constant review. Europe no longer waits for the UK: and Blair has been wounded moratally in Europe, over Iraq.Cjwinnit said:I think a European armed force is still a long way off from being formed, and an even futher-off reality that it could actually be useful without NATO. And until the UK joins it's not exactly world-beating..
Not quite sure what you mean here. I mean that our Scottish represenatives in the Europena parlaimanets, forge myriad alliances with those from other smaller nations.Scotland doesn't really have external international alliances out of the UK anymore.
Granted there are technical qualifications. But they are massively outwieghed by the traffic across open borders, within Europe.The UK is not a part of the Shengern treaty.
I see it more as a singular kind of federalism: with more central powers than in the USA; as Europe tends to emphasise the social form sought, while America emphasises the input end that comes with individual rights. So not a single country in any concieveable future: but a social entity whose social processes intend an ever greater functional integration. Still a long way to go: and a bumpy ride, with some fears about centralisation of powers; but Europe is on its way, big time.I disagree with the EU as a single country but that's another debate
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