Lord West lives up to his name: we're not European, he says.

Just listened to the preposterous Lord West of Spithead (who will rid us of these ridiculous barons?), a former first Sea Lord (think King Canute in a suit) telling Channel 4 news that the proposed merger between British Aerospace and the French and German defence industries is dangerous because it might "make the Americans think we're Europeans, which we're not." You have to ask if he has ever looked at a map!!! Even Admiral Nelson would have acknowledged Britain as a European power!!!
But no, the great Lord West wants us to be an American lackey to the end of time. He talks as if Germany and France were still potential rivals, even enemies, rather than our partners to whom we are tied by more treaties than ever bound us to the Americans, a country we have also been at war with twice (1776, 1812) but then modern ex-admirals have no sense of history.
As far as his lordship goes, our history begins and ends with 'the war' - don't ask which one! Sure he knows about more recent conflicts, all of which (save the Falklands) we have been dragged into by the United States. Sure, again, we might not have won that one without US help, but that remains a small war along way the importance of which was in helping Mrs Thatcher win re-election and restoring temporarily a sense of overblown martial pride.
The real thing on West's mind, it was soon revealed was that he fears cuts in defence spending. He and his old mates live only on 'power projection', the macho thrill of big aircraft carriers. He complained our European partners spend 'next to nothing' on defence. I haven't noticed either being invaded recently I haven't noticed either facing a greater terrorist threat than we do, rather less in fact.
The only good thing is that he is now Chancellor of Southampton Solent University. I suspect his power to do harm there is much diminished. Shame on Channel 4 to give him the limelight, but I dare say they couldn't find anybody else.