A two-fer on Macron


Macron Calls for ‘Real European Army’ to Protect EU from U.S.
6 Nov 2018

French President Emmanuel Macron has reiterated calls for a European Union army, this time saying that it is needed to protect the bloc from China, Russia, and even the United States.

The progressive leader, a proponent of greater EU federalisation which will result in the reduction in sovereignty for European nations, told Europe 1 Monday night that the bloc needs a “real European army”.

“We have to protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of America,” Macron said, according to Agence France-Presse.

“When I see President Trump announcing that he’s quitting a major disarmament treaty which was formed after the 1980s euro-missile crisis that hit Europe, who is the main victim? Europe and its security,” he said.

“We will not protect the Europeans unless we decide to have a true European army,” he said while on a tour of the former Western Front in Verdun, northeast France, to commemorate the centenary of World War One — a war in which some 116,000 Americans lost their lives defending Europe, including at the Second Battle of the Somme in 1918 which resulted in an Allied battle victory at the cost of 15,034 United States, and 5,600 British Empire lives .

“Faced with Russia, which is on our borders and has shown that it can be threatening, we must have a Europe that defends itself more alone without depending only on the United States,” the French head of state added.

France Vs America: Macron Puts Globalist Case Against Trump at UN, Hints at Anti-U.S. Trade Deal Boycott https://t.co/HbhOY3pgah

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) September 26, 2018

In August, Macron called for defence divergence from the United States, then including current French foe Russia as those the centrist premier counted as possible European defence partners.

Last year, the European leader led the charge for a United States of Europe with a full monetary union and a single army, the EU making the first major step towards the latter in November after 23 member states signed the European Defence Union’s Permanent Structured Cooperation process (PESCO).

Macron has been building his international profile based on his opposition to the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump, seeking to forge a ‘European front’ against the American leader ahead of the G-7 Summit in June — with Trump schooling his fellow progressive world leaders on ‘America First’.

While at the United Nations in September, Macron, who has fallen to an all-time low of 21 per cent popularity in his home country, attempted to give a defence to globalism while criticising the pro-sovereignty, strong borders vision of President Trump’s America.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2018/11...-protect-eu-us/

Macron rips nationalism as Trump looks on: 'Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism'
By - Associated Press - Sunday, November 11, 2018

French President Emmanuel Macron is warning against the dangers of nationalism in a speech aimed directly at the rising tide of populism in the United States and Europe.

With U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders looking on during an Armistice Day centennial observance in Paris on Sunday, Macron said the “ancient demons” that caused World War I and millions of deaths are growing stronger.

“Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism. Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism,” the French leader said.

“In saying ‘Our interests first, whatever happens to the others,’ you erase the most precious thing a nation can have, that which makes it live, that which causes it to be great and that which is most important: Its moral values.”

Trump has proudly declared himself a nationalist.

Macron has set himself up as Europe’s foil to nationalist movements that rail against global approaches, like ones that have taken hold in Hungary and Poland among other countries.

Macron hosted 130 world leaders and dignitaries for lunch at the presidential Elysee Palace after the ceremony. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were at the head table near Macron.

Other guests at the host’s table included Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Moroccan King Mohammed VI, Spain’s King Felipe VI and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Copyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/201...is-speech-dona/