EU Warmongering?
There are a number of pervasive myths out there that are not congruent with fact, but nevertheless seem to live on. For example, the idea that the assault weapons ban banned automatic weapons (the National Firearms Act did so in 1934). Another is the idea that Communism is an ideal system that merely has difficulties in the application. Another of these myths is that the EU is some sort of progressive utopia that is an oasis of social justice, peace, and liberty.
Refuting this myth is a particular fetish of mine, as my class-mates and my browser history will readily attest. Though the military forces of EU member nations are a mere fraction of the other major powers, the EU can still greatly contribute to global instability. In fact, recently the "progressive" Union is planning to end the moratorium on arms sales to the People's Republic of China. The EU, though lacking in strength of numbers, has been developing its defence technology. Their new ASRAAM is competitive with the latest generation of US air-to-air missiles, and the prototypeBVRAAM has superior range to any US missile. Other systems are worth mentioning, such as the ship-based PAAMS air-defence system, and especially the new Galileo Global Positioning System. The case of the Galileo system is especially problematic, as China is a "partner" in its development programme. The Galileo GPS is touted as an alternative to the US Navstar GPS system, which is currently denied to China so that China cannot develop precision GPS-based weapons systems like the US JDAM.
Of course, with free access to the Galileo GPS, developing a GPS-guided weapon is simply a matter of fitting a receiver to the weapon and developing a system to steer the weapon to its target. Making this worse is the EU's admission that they could not deny use of the system in case of conflict. The US Military, who would most likely end up fighting the Chinese in a war situation, has announced that it would attack the EU Satellite Constellation with new anti-satellite weapons. With advanced weapons programmes like these, the technology advantage the US has over China is diminished, and China's manpower can be brought to bear more effectively.
In addition, the North Atlantic Alliance is going to suffer, as the US is going to be understandably reluctant to grant military technology. Plus, it adds to the trans-Atlantic distrust, which is at record levels as it is.
Any-way, it is not only military intervention which leads to global destalibilisation. It seems that the world is getting drawn closer and closer to conflict through blindness. Recommended reading: The Guns of August.
Refuting this myth is a particular fetish of mine, as my class-mates and my browser history will readily attest. Though the military forces of EU member nations are a mere fraction of the other major powers, the EU can still greatly contribute to global instability. In fact, recently the "progressive" Union is planning to end the moratorium on arms sales to the People's Republic of China. The EU, though lacking in strength of numbers, has been developing its defence technology. Their new ASRAAM is competitive with the latest generation of US air-to-air missiles, and the prototypeBVRAAM has superior range to any US missile. Other systems are worth mentioning, such as the ship-based PAAMS air-defence system, and especially the new Galileo Global Positioning System. The case of the Galileo system is especially problematic, as China is a "partner" in its development programme. The Galileo GPS is touted as an alternative to the US Navstar GPS system, which is currently denied to China so that China cannot develop precision GPS-based weapons systems like the US JDAM.
Of course, with free access to the Galileo GPS, developing a GPS-guided weapon is simply a matter of fitting a receiver to the weapon and developing a system to steer the weapon to its target. Making this worse is the EU's admission that they could not deny use of the system in case of conflict. The US Military, who would most likely end up fighting the Chinese in a war situation, has announced that it would attack the EU Satellite Constellation with new anti-satellite weapons. With advanced weapons programmes like these, the technology advantage the US has over China is diminished, and China's manpower can be brought to bear more effectively.
In addition, the North Atlantic Alliance is going to suffer, as the US is going to be understandably reluctant to grant military technology. Plus, it adds to the trans-Atlantic distrust, which is at record levels as it is.
Any-way, it is not only military intervention which leads to global destalibilisation. It seems that the world is getting drawn closer and closer to conflict through blindness. Recommended reading: The Guns of August.
posted by The Admiral at 5:26 PM
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