- This is pure mythology. Over 1945-1949, peace was kept in Europe by the British and US armies stationed in Germany; from 1949 onwards, by NATO and the continued presence of predominantly US and British troops to counter the threat from the Soviet bloc.
- France left NATO in 1959 and did not fully re-join until 2009. The disintegration of the old Soviet Union in 1991 removed the main military threat to Europe, but new risks have arisen. These can best be countered by NATO and co-operation between democratic nation states, not by European political and economic integration.
- Democratic nations tend to settle their differences by diplomacy, not war. The biggest threat to peace in Europe is posed by the creation of an undemocratic, centralised 'United States of Europe' and the removal of powers of democratic accountability and control from its citizens.
- The EU intends to create its own armed forces by merging those of its member states, all in order to enforce its Common Foreign and Security Policy.
- The safest future for Europe lies in democratic nation states co-operating with each other and in an alliance, such as NATO, of independent states set up to counter external threats.
- Abdicating control of our foreign, security and defence policy to the EU will, as a minimum, have unpredictable results, and potentially will be a recipe for disaster.
|