Finnpog,
I never said that the carriers weren't needed, or a bad idea, just that I couldn't see a UK government committing to another military "adventure" in the near future, given what has happened over Iraq and Afghanistan in terms of political fallout.
As to what to do if there is a requirement to support an EU "greater good", well the British public might be in favour of us sending a mobile bath unit, and letting some (I won't name names) of the other EU/Nato countries take a greater share of the burden than they seem to at the moment.