Migration crisis is putting the UK at grave risk.

[seanraaron]

I don't see the point of us having nukes or at least spending a fortune on Trident. I'm also happy for us to be a small power, but the truth is Britain is an extremely powerful country, daft to deny it. Though I would like to see us topping the tables in looking after our citizens.

Depends on how you define "powerful" because if it's military, then I'd disagree and according to the Tory supporters here we have no money, so how is the UK powerful? Can't both be right!

@zeittghosdt you're right, but Churchill wanted to nuke Stalin, which wouldn't likely have had the desired effect. Anyway the point is that they're not useful weapons unless you're crazy enough to use them and I cannot think of any threatening world power that wouldn't call the UK's bluff and likely retaliate and destroy it if a shooting war started.

[DodgyAgent]

Depends on how you define "powerful" because if it's military, then I'd disagree and according to the Tory supporters here we have no money, so how is the UK powerful? Can't both be right!

@zeittghosdt you're right, but Churchill wanted to nuke Stalin, which wouldn't likely have had the desired effect. Anyway the point is that they're not useful weapons unless you're crazy enough to use them and I cannot think of any threatening world power that wouldn't call the UK's bluff and likely retaliate and destroy it if a shooting war started.

You must be right. After all you are "student of history"

[DodgyAgent]

Do you think anyone after a tirade like that said, oh i see you are right, I've changed my mind and well done for persuading me?

Why would I expect anyone to change their view?

[seanraaron]

You must be right. After all you are "student of history"

Good, glad that's settled. You can go back under your rock now.

[tomtomagain]

Given the fact that the continental countries have real problems to address like the collapse of Schengen, I rather doubt Cameron will get anything: why should he? It's not like the UK is doing anything to assist with the refugee crisis on Europe's borders.

Why won't he?

The UK is the second largest net contributors to the EU. Who's going to make up the shortfall in the EU budget if the UK leaves? Herr Taxpayer that's who.

And who is Germany's largest export market? The UK.

Do you think Merkel wants to go down in history as the person who kept Greece but lost the UK? Every German car manufacturer would be queued outside her door to ensure that they maintained access to the UK consumer market.

Do you think that the Germans want to lose a major, reform minded ally like the UK? Do the smaller countries want to be in a union ever more dominated by the Germans & French?

And do you think the EU bureaucracy wants to open up the can of worms that would be caused by a major country leaving their union? What would happen if the UK prospered outside the EU? Then others might start wondering whether they could do better on the outside too .....

[seanraaron]

That's why it's called MAD.

But thus far only "tested" against another great power. I don't think North Korea or Iran or indeed Putin's Russia is going to be held at bay by a mere threat of nuclear attack and what will the outcome be of an actual strike, bearing in mind neighbouring countries who may be allied will be affected by lethal fallout?

@tomtom: well the problem is that the changes being demanded will require all 28 members to agree legislation and Germany may be the economic heavyweight of the EU, but they cannot force the other nations to agree to Britain's demands. So Britain's "nuclear deterrent" of threatening to leave the EU if it doesn't get its way (which isn't possible in the desired timeframe anyway) will likely blow up in its face.

The referendum will happen regardless, so even if the rest of the EU bends over backwards an exit could still happen, leaving the remaining nations to live with the changes. The British are always bitching anyway, so why would giving in change anything?

[DodgyAgent]

Given the fact that the continental countries have real problems to address like the collapse of Schengen, I rather doubt Cameron will get anything: why should he? It's not like the UK is doing anything to assist with the refugee crisis on Europe's borders.

They are problems of their own making. This is a very good example of why Britain kept out of Schengen so why it should play to the tune of merkel and the rest of the EU in dealing with the refugee problem I do not know.

[cojak]

Since the British are always bitching it would be better for the EU if we got out and left them to it, all like-minded together.

[DodgyAgent]

. The British are always bitching anyway, so why would giving in change anything?

The snivelling coward who thinks he looks clever by scoring points at the very establishment that bestows him with his own privileged lifestyle. He does it with a meaningless cliche. Perhaps you could explain which powers do not bitch?

[darmstadt]

And who is Germany's largest export market? The UK.

Wrong.

001 France 100 579 839
002 United States 95 927 767
003 United Kingdom 79 163 103
004 China, People's Republic of 74 368 812