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Alexander Clarkson
@APHClarkson
, 3 tweets, 1 min read Read on Twitter
Another few years of this and the Americans may end up with the shock of Europeans saying "fine, just sod off then". US military presence is very useful, but the EU and its member states will survive without it.
The heavy US military role has ensured US influence over Europe's political and strategic development. Withdrawing in a snit over China increases the likelihood that an EU thrown on its own vast resources becomes a strategic rival rather than a partner of the US.
There is no EU state that wants a strategic rift with the US. It is easier and cheaper to rely on US military infrastructure. But after damage of the 00s, US political instability and the distrust Trump is fuelling is prodding the Europeans in directions the US may come to regret
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Alexander Clarkson
@APHClarkson
Now that after three long years key UK media and political milieus have finally come to terms with the UK's geopolitical predicament, perhaps it is time for Europeans to put away the rhetorical hammer and gently assist a reorientation of UK discourse towards European integration
Schadenfreude is tempting. But it may be more helpful to politely point out that the EU opened up a range of options that could help a paralysed UK regain agency. That UK voters could once again become central to the process if the extension opportunities are used imaginatively
The EU achieved all its key strategic goals during the Withdrawal Agreement negotiations. The steps model set out by Barnier shaped the negotiation process and always defined the UK's choices. The EU's hegemonic position in Europe has been reasserted successfully.
Read 6 tweets
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Alexander Clarkson
@APHClarkson
Wouldn't be surprised if in a few years many who once supported Brexit become strident supporters of European integration as a means through which to achieve their ideological goals on a much grander scale.
The vessel for it might change but the fascination with power rarely does
The basic problem with the Liberal Leave agenda was this dubious distinction between political and economic integration.

Without shared institutions, security tools, defence structures and yes even a currency a high level of economic integration is very difficult to sustain
Political, monetary, security, border and economic integration aren't separate tracks. They are deeply intertwined. Those who stand outside several of those tracks yet remain in the Single Market are free-riding on the efforts of those who work to sustain the entire EU system.
Read 5 tweets
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Alexander Clarkson
@APHClarkson
So who exactly in UK media has helped entrench the notion among UK politicians and voters that the EU is always one step away from self-destruction?
That for 30 years so many on the UK side have promoted the idea that the EU is a feeble construct that would tremble in fear when Britain would finally unfurl its true might may have something to do with this persistent British belief in a deus ex machina that would save the day
Yet now we have a parade of UK figures claiming that they always knew that the EU as Europe's hegemon had the leverage and the UK did not.
Read 4 tweets

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THREAD..

..on the biggest and baddest lobbyists in EU town

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Vikram Waman Karve
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#Military
Defence Officers must avoid Delhi Postings
Delhi Posting makes an Armed Forces Officer lose his "Militariness" and metamorphose into a "Babu" in Uniform
Once transformed into a "Babu in Uniform" his attitude changes - to the detriment of the service
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I often agree with @EuroBriefing as I think he & colleagues offer some of the best insights on European politics. But the below is just unthinkable. Were the UK to unilaterally revoke Art.50, I'd bet a case would be put before the ECJ to stop this from happening.
Say UK stays in the #EU under Corbyn with the clear plan of triggering #Article50 a little down the line. What would a good EU lawyer do? She (because, let's face it, it would be a she 😉) would advice the EU institutions to bring the #UK before the #ECJ.
Why? Because, as a member-state, the UK would have breached Article 4 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) which lays down something very boring called the "principle of sincere co-operation" between the EU member-states and the EU itself.
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Stine Olsen Actor
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#BrexitChaos - thread: need for definitions:

#NoDeal #nodealbrexit means crashing out: no arrangements with the #EU or other member states, no transition period. Means losing all existing trade deals & years of global negociations
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☂️skyfish☂️
@skyfishgoo
allow me to explain:

first thing to realize is that compromise usually involved splitting the difference (e.g. arbitration -- if you've ever been privy, you know exactly what i mean).

next you need to understate that starting positions matter
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they know to start out WAY to the right of anything sane

democrats, being slightly more reasonable tend to open with somthing they thing will win the other side over to their POV.

... it ... will ... not ....

so this happens.
after a few years of this (say since 1980) you end up with both parties being FAR to the right of anything that a rational person would consider CENTER

enter #bernie sanders and his populist, moderate policy positions like #medicareforall or raising the minimum wage
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