I am sure the British public will be highly entertained to see two field marshals arguing about the spectre of a European army. Although loath to take issue with a respected colleague such as Lord Guthrie, I have to say that even if a few bureaucrats in Brussels are putting forward some highly speculative proposals, a European army like those of Britain and France, with common recruiting or conscription, is never going to happen. As he made clear at the weekend, it would be expensive, inefficient, defy the fundamental requirements of high morale, and encourage American isolationism.

What is important is that Europe should have a command and staff mechanism to control EU national forces when dealing with threats less serious than those posed by