Robert,

Did we ever find out why they don't want to use the
U.S. system?


Well, the common sense answer is: All eggs in one basket might not be a
good idea for what is probably the most critical piece of global
infrastructure around these days. Especially when the basket is held by
people like Dubya.

The counterargument for this runs like this: GPS has become way too
much of a factor in common life and in the global economy that any US
president could ever afford to switch it off or degrade it much. An
Iranian nuke hitting the White House due to navigation signals provided
by an 80 dollar Etrex GPS might change that view in a hurry, however.

The EU real life answer does include the above, but also: pride and
jealousy, complaints by EADS and other high-tech companies that mostly
US companies are cashing in on the sat nav market and similar reasons.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)