Juncker calls for more united EU under one leader


European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker outlined his post-Brexit vision for a confident EU in his state of the union address on Wednesday (14 September), speaking of a Europe that has bounced back from the economic downturn and regained the political ground from populists and eurosceptics. 
Juncker, in his second to last state of the union speech, has argued for a more united and effective EU that is based on freedom, equality and the rule of law, and signalled that he wants all EU countries to become full eurozone and Schengen area members by 2019 - except those with opt-outs.
He described a post-Brexit EU with all member states part of the banking union, where there are funds to protect the euro, reinforced social standards, and a defence union. He also wants to see the EU take on a stronger role internationally.

In a personal tone, Juncker told MEPs in Strasbourg that the "wind is back in Europe's sails", but warned that the "window of opportunity" for reforms and winning the hearts and minds of citizens will not stay open forever. 
"We have been slowly but surely gathering momentum," said Juncker in his speech, while playing down the issue of Brexit - only specifically mentioning it an hour into his address. 
He proposed a special EU summit in Sibiu, Romania, on 30 March 2019 - one day after the UK leaves the bloc - to take decisions on the reformed EU.


One of his other key ideas is to merge the presidencies of the European Commission and the European Council into a single position, in order to have one clear leader of the EU.



"Europe would be easier to understand if one captain was steering the ship," he argued. 
In Juncker's vision, the presidential candidate should be allowed to campaign in the European elections, but he fell short of backing transnational lists of MEPs.
Juncker advocated for deepening the integration of the euro area, and called on non-euro member states to join the single currency by 2019. 
He argued for a European minister of economy and finance but said it should not be a new position, instead only a reinforced EU commissioner post. 
The commission president, however, did not support the idea of a euro area budget and eurozone-parliament.





North Korea vowed on Wednesday to accelerate its weapons programs in response to what it termed "evil" sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council following its latest and most powerful nuclear test, AFP reported.

The U.S.-drafted UN resolution, passed on Monday, bans textile exports, cuts off natural gas shipments to North Korea, places a ceiling on deliveries of refined oil products and caps crude oil shipments at their current level.

It also bars countries from issuing new work permits to North Korean laborers sent abroad and seeks to phase out the practice by asking countries to report on the date for ending existing contracts.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the latest UN sanctions on North Korea are only a very small step and “are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen.” He did not elaborate.

The resolution passed after Washington toned down its original proposals to secure backing from China and Russia, came just one month after the council banned exports of coal, lead and seafood in response to North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The North's foreign ministry on Tuesday condemned the new measures "in the strongest terms", calling them a "full-scale economic blockade" driven by the U.S. and aimed at "suffocating" its state and people.

"The DPRK will redouble the efforts to increase its strength to safeguard the country's sovereignty and right to existence," the ministry said, using the abbreviation for the North's official name.









Relatively few Americans know many details about how a war between North Korean, the US, South Korean and United Nations force would look. One of them is Rob Givens, who served as the deputy assistant chief of staff for operations of U.S. Forces Korea and as special assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He shares the outlines of what would be a grim struggle, with tens of thousands dead or wounded each day on both sides — and that’s well before anyone who might go mad and use a nuclear weapon. Here’s some of what Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are likely to tell lawmakers on Wednesday. Read on. The Editor.


We often hear war with North Korea is “unimaginable,” but, as North Korea presses ahead with its nuclear and missile tests, the unimaginable is becoming more possible. Gen. Joe Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and President Trump’s top uniformed military advisor, described the potential conflict as, “horrific.” So what would this no-longer-so-unimaginable war look like?


Thousands of aircraft will wage an epic battle across the entire Korean Peninsula. The two American Air Force fighter wings—100-plus fighter aircrafts permanently stationed there — accompanied by our South Korean partners would fight the opening minutes, striking against the North’s aged, but plentiful air forces while also bombing Kim Jong-un’s missiles and artillery.

If the North gains the initiative, we will have to accept higher risk going after targets before establishing our air superiority — meaning we will suffer higher losses. In short order, the air forces in South Korea would be joined by U.S. Navy, Marine, and Air Force fighters from Okinawa and Japan. U.S. bombers from around the globe would also be called in. Every square foot of North Korea would be in range.

North Korea’s casualties would be appalling. The estimates are that we would inflict  20,000 casualties on the North each day of combat.

Allied naval forces would begin the difficult task of hunting for and safe-guarding against the 70-plus North Korean submarines. These would be small, but deadly engagements as our naval forces maneuvered within range of North Korean anti-ship missile batteries. Despite our clear superiority in naval forces, the allied side would lose ships and, most unfortunately, sailors. North Korean mines, torpedoes, and anti-ship missiles would present a direct threat to commercial shipping, making it risky to evacuate foreign national civilians by sea.