Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.
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This is the new Samizdat. We muse use it while we can.
EU ARMY: Germany reveals joint force ALREADY taking shape – ‘We’re working quickly’ (express, Jan 10, 2019)
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1070319/eu-army-european-joint-military-force-pesco-uk-germany-france
“GERMANY’S defence minister says an EU army is “already taking shape” as the bloc looks to deepen military cooperation between member states.
Ursula Von der Leyen said Europe “needs to improve its ability to act on behalf of its own security” at a time of global uncertainty, adding major progress has been made towards realising a joint defence force.
Like the development of the EU’s single market and free movement principle, developing a European army will take time, she said.
But she said cooperation between member states has been boosted in recent months thanks to new reforms and the “obvious benefit” of working together.
Writing in the German newspaper Handelsblatt, Ms Von der Leyen hit back at claims by another German politician who argued the EU should forge ahead with building a “real European army” instead of just talking about it.
In response, she said Wolfgang Clement was right in principle but had neglected to mention “the progress we Europeans have made in the last few years”.
She said: “Europe’s army is already taking shape.
“Reforms over the past months and years have brought our armed forces closer together. We’re working quickly.
“But let’s not forget that achievements that are now taken for granted, such as the internal EU market or freedom of movement didn’t happen overnight.
“They came about thanks to careful, measured progress, and member states pursing clear goals, one step after another.”
EU leaders including Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron have previously expressed their hopes of forming an EU defence force.
Speaking in November, the French leader said a “true European army” is required to protect the interests of the bloc as the United States under President Donald Trump continues to look inward.
His vision was backed by Ms Merkel who said she supported a “real, true” European army.
But the prospect of an EU army has received fierce criticism from British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, who warned any force which rivaled NATO would undermine international security.
Branding the plan “crazy and dangerous”, Mr Williamson vowed Britain would “never” be part of the project.
He went on to condemn the majority of EU member states who had failed to hit the NATO military spending target of two percent of GDP – a list which includes France and Germany.
Twenty-five EU members have already pledged to combine their military forces on a regular basis through the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) pact.
Launched in late 2017, the agreement already involves projects including the formation of the EUFOR Crisis Response Operation Core which some see as a precursor to a fully fledged EU army.
Britain is not part of PESCO but will be able to take part in projects on “third country” terms if it chooses.”
Scientists warn Earth’s magnetic North Pole has begun moving ‘erratically’ at speeds so fast they are having to issue an emergency update to maps used by electronic navigation systems (dailymail, Jan 11, 2019)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6579515/Scientists-warn-Earths-magnetic-North-Pole-begun-moving-erratically-speeds-50km-year.html
“Earth’s magnetic fields are shifting – and scientists are unsure why.
Researchers say the magnetic North Pole is ‘skittering’ away from Canada, towards Siberia.
The problem has got so bad, researchers around the world are scrambling to update a global model of the fields.
Called the World Magnetic Model, it underlies all modern navigation, from the systems that steer ships at sea to Google Maps on smartphones.
The most recent version of the model came out in 2015, and it was supposed to last until 2020.
However, researchers say the magnetic field is changing so rapidly that they have to fix the model urgently.
It was due to be updated on the 15th January, but due to the US Government shutdown, that has already been delayed until the 30th…”