Following on from the theme of last month’s article, on the division between Europe and the USA and a fight for political turf and economic credibility, it is amazing to look at what is occurring in Europe now and how the situation has such clear parallels with the old Europe, especially the Europe that led us into World War II.
Firstly, however, it may be interesting to note that the greatest fear of many and why they are prepared to fight so hard, in any conflict, may no longer exist in the first world at all. I am referring to the concept of invasion and physical domination. This fear of being occupied and subjected to the humiliation of rule under another nation has reached a point where it is simply not practical, and or affordable, even to the likes of the USA, Russia or China, let alone a single European nation such as Germany, Italy, France or Great Britain.
In a world that saw the NATO attacks on Libyan forces, loyal to Kaddafi, run out of missiles and where the cost of an operation in Afghanistan and Iraq is such that it can almost bankrupt a super power, any action within Europe seems almost impossible to imagine.
So where do these latent national traits, a need to dominate another, now emerge the football pitch cannot satisfy all those power lusts!
No, the British lost an Empire while claiming to have won two world wars, but they certainly built the most powerful financial system outside of the new “evil empire”, the USA, a fact the Germans and French have long since resented and envied. The Germans have slowly slid up the back of the French and now, economically and politically, dominate the various structures that make up what we all now collectively refer to as “Europe”. Usurping the French dream of a Europe dominated by the French speaking technocrats.
The French, although now the monkey to the German organ grinder, are still far better off than the Vichy government of Marshal Petan and their lack of any real fight against Nazism, entitled them to enjoy in the post WWII years. A time where those who stood up to the German lust for “living space” were left crushed, or lived in an apocalyptical world. Have you ever seen the pictures of London compared to Paris in 1945?
So as, “Dave no mates”, as he is embarrassingly referred to his face on live British TV, returns to GB with a distinctly “Dave (Neville) Chamberlain” look about him, what does all his political gesturing and manoeuvring really mean and what has happened?
Well this could just be the biggest bloodless coup d’état, in the history of Europe since the Vikings “raped, pillaged” and generally made a real nuisance of themselves across Europe, 1200 years ago!
The Germans out manoeuvred the French, nothing new there, on the economic muscle front. This time though it was not with tanks, but rather with banks. The French allowed the Germans to take the lead in the European game of control and now the Germans set the agenda, an agenda that 26 out of 27 “European Member States” have signed up to. How long will it take for the French to realise that they too, as well as they lowly economic types such as Greece, Spain, Ireland and Italy, will need to satisfy Berlin that their house is in order, before their “friends” in the Reichstag will sign it off their own budget and allow them any “pocket money”?
A new treaty or a brilliant economic coup, that causes all to be answerable to the one great lover of European domination, Germany?
So “Dave” what now for you? Well you couldn’t really sign what you were offered could you, or you would have been remembered as the man that gave Britain to Europe. You did however manage to completely alienate the Liberal Democratic Party, who were the only force keeping you in power (note to reader, this is being written on December 10th 2011).
If the Tories split with the Lib Dems, then the UK will get an election and, no doubt carried along on a wave of revolting jingoism, the Tories could in fact win that election outright, he will not look too stupid then will he?
That would leave Britain drifting further into isolationist policies, demanded no doubt by short sighted right wing types.
Back home we need to remain calm and clever. Maintain our close trading ties with all world powers, USA, China, GB, Europe and South America. The perfect neutral stance where we neither take sides “too far” with anyone, but remaining friends with all. Unlike Arab conflicts European spats, between themselves and or others, rarely last over five years and for the next five years we have enough to achieve ourselves to not worry about anyone else!
Sorry, I did forget about the European 100 years war, but by then we will all be “Global Warming” toast anyway!