EU Warships

[He3]

EU warships are beginning anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia.

RTÉ News: EU naval operation to counter piracy

We are told there is no such thing as an EU Army.

So who is driving the boats? Or have the silly media got it all wrong again?

...

EDIT:
Just under two hours after this thread was opened, and we are claiming no credit for this, RTÉ deleted the opening line of their report quoted above, and replaced it with this:

The EU has agreed to launch an anti-piracy naval operation off the coast of Somalia involving ships and aircraft from several nations.


Whatever prompted that editorial move, the use of the term 'EU warships' in connection with this expedition is widespread in the international media. See also here

EU Warships - Google search

[kerrynorth]

Really good point He3.

[goosebump]

[I]

We are told there is no such thing as an EU Army.

So any time Armed Forces from 2 or more member states act together its the "EU Army"?

I remember being at the beach a few years back and an RAF helicopter assisted the Irish Air Corps in the rescue of a diver.

Little did I know that I was witness to an operation of the "EU Army".

So how is Commander in Chief of this EU Army then?

[Gimpanzee]

Reporter doesn't get his terminology right and describes flotilla as 'EU warships'. All hell breaks lose on P.ie.

Poster doesn't get his terminology right and refers to Army when he probably means Navy.

Can someone shoot this thread and feed it to some pigs or something...

[Bobert]

Huzzah! We have a collective defence system.

[seabhcan]

EU warships are beginning anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia.

RTÉ News: EU naval operation to counter piracy

We are told there is no such thing as an EU Army.

So who is driving the boats? Or have the silly media got it all wrong again?

Since when do Armies have ships?

[He3]

Reporter doesn't get his terminology right and describes flotilla as 'EU warships'. All hell breaks lose on P.ie.

...

Supposedly silly reporter is not alone.

EU warships - Google Search

Prominent corrections to appear worldwide tomorrow? Or could this actually have been accurately reported worldwide?

Brief comment and question in reply to a couple of other points raised:

* Armies have had warships for quite a while.

* Is the EU unique in having Warships but no Army?

[seabhcan]

Supposedly silly reporter is not alone.

EU warships - Google Search

Prominent corrections to appear worldwide tomorrow?

Brief comment and question in reply to a couple of other points raised:

* Armies have had warships for quite a while.

* Is the EU unique in having Warships but no Army?

I've heard of UN troops, yet I think we can all agree that the UN doesn't really have an army.

[ibis]

I've heard of UN troops, yet I think we can all agree that the UN doesn't really have an army.

Ah, but it wants one! 'Cos of NWO.

Reporter doesn't get his terminology right and describes flotilla as 'EU warships'. All hell breaks lose on P.ie.

The ships are an EU taskforce - EU NAVFOR Somalia. They're coordinated in Brussels by a group called EU NAVCO, which was set up to "support surveillance and protection operations led by certain Member States in Somalia and off the Somali coast". They include ships from 10 member states, and possibly Norway.

Source, and further information:

Deeply concerned by the outbreak of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast, the Council decided to launch a European Union military operation in support of UN Security Council Resolutions 1816, 1814 and 1838, to contribute to the improvement of maritime security off the Somali coast as part of the European Union's overall action to stabilise Somalia.

This military operation, called EU NAVFOR Somalia (operation "Atalanta"), will be conducted in support of UN Security Council Resolutions 1814 (2008), 1816 (2008), 1838 (2008) and 1846 (2008) in order to contribute to:

* the protection of vessels of the WFP (World Food Programme) delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia;
* the protection of vulnerable vessels cruising off the Somali coast, and the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast.

This operation, which is the first EU maritime operation, will be conducted in the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

The Council had already established in September a coordination cell in Brussels (EU NAVCO) to support surveillance and protection operations led by certain Member States in Somalia and off the Somali coast.

It's not completely accurate to describe them as "EU Warships", because they're member state warships - but on the other hand, the force can be fairly described as an EU force.

[Bobert]

The ships are an EU taskforce - EU NAVFOR Somalia. They're coordinated in Brussels by a group called EU NAVCO, which was set up to "support surveillance and protection operations led by certain Member States in Somalia and off the Somali coast". They include ships from 10 member states, and possibly Norway.

Source, and further information:

Confoosing it with NATO perhaps?