Who will protect this country

[KateLMead]

Who will protect us and come to our aid if Russia invades this country? I do not think it is an impossibility.. I want out of the EU.. But do we have more to lose than to gain.

[Aggers]

I don't think that is much of a possibility, Kate. As long as we have Trident.

Although I can imagine that WW3 is a possibility at some time in the future,
but who will be involved, goodness knows.

[Workingman]

Kate, why would Russia want to single out the UK for invasion, and how would it go about it? It is an action fraught with danger for the Russians and almost impossible to achieve.

On the other hand Russia pushing up against Nato and/or the EU to signal its strength is not beyond the realms of possibility.

The BBC has just run a war games programme asking just that, and how to prevent it escalating into WWIII. The scenario was Russian enclaves in the Baltic states demanding more autonomy and the Russians supporting them - à la Ukraine. It was seen as a step too far in the West so the sides squared up.... then came the attempts to cool things down, but with great difficulty.

It is far more likely than Russia invading us.

[cromwell]

The EU will not proyecy us, as they do not actually have an army, yet. NATO would be our best bet, though I think the Russians have no intention of invading anyone that they don't have to.

[KateLMead]

They are playing a great part in Syria, Assad has Putins support, I think personally Russia is a risk to the West, but then maybe I am just being my normal self these days "a bit negative in my outlook."

[Workingman]

Kate, with the second largest nuclear arsenal on the planet, and capable of wiping all of us out many times over, Russia has no need to invade anyone. Its Admirals, Generals and Air Commanders can simply sit at their desks and push a few buttons...

But if they did our equivalents would do the same to them. It's called MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) and few places on Earth would escape.

Syria, on the other hand, and unfortunately, is a side issue. Even without the Russians being there it would be a basket case of disparate groups beating seven bells out of each other. Had the opposition not been so fragmented, and each one being intent on being top dog, Assad could have been taken out ages ago. But even if that had happened the groups would still be fighting each other and the problems just as bad.

[Suff]

As for the original question, do we need the EU?

Given that the EU "army" is constituted mainly of the UK and France with the UK troops and air support being the majority of the sharp end, I'd say NO.

So long as we have Trident and are part of NATO, we are no more at risk than anyone else in NATO. The EU is not a requirement for that.

For NATO to avoid the 3rd or 4th largest power on the planet would be stupid. So we will always be part of NATO so long as we want to be.

EU? The gain MASSIVELY by having the UK. The UK, gain from the EU? Only costs.....

[pederito1]

Russia invade us Kate ?? Why ever would they want to do that they are not the warmongers it is the yanks. I think Putin`s attitude can be explained by the threat of an attack by America though I am sure they would not dare much as I am sure they would like to. Russia has only attacked one, Afghanistan since WW2 discounting Crimea and E Ukraine which were historically part of Russia anyway, whereas if you count on your fingers you would need more to count the ones America has attacked.
Regarding the EU I am minded of the "Hotel California" " You can check out any time you like but you can never leave" like having an "Irish" done on us, ie repeated referendums
til a "Stay in" is achieved.

[KateLMead]

Well you dear boys reassure me.. The world is in such a state, and for the world of me I will never understand why man is so intent on destroying it.

[Suff]

Oh he's not intent on destroying it. Well, those in power aren't intending to destroy it for themselves. Everyone else, on the other hand, might need to look out for themselves.

The fact that we may destroy a liveable habitat for ourselves might simply be an unintended consequence of avaricious greed. A bit like being too lazy to go hunt anything other than dodo.... "Whoops, are they all gone? Damn we'll have to strip some other natural resource instead then".

We are not exactly good custodians for the biosphere of the planet. More like a walking disaster area and have been for thousands of years. Very few human cultures have been anything close to in balance with their environment. In fact one of the earliest examples of that seems to have been the demise of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis.