[Billthedrill]

There is, in addition to all this, a distinct possibility of the EU itself being made unable to come to agreements on the structure of formulation of a common foreign policy. The Belgians and the French and the Germans are essentially taking the positon that l'etat, c'est moi! which might come as news to the other EU members. Certainly some eyes in Great Britain have been opened, if any more were necessary to do that. This and the fact that the plan they're offering as their own and new was in fact the U.S.'s and a year old, does not argue for any particular diplomatic dexterity on the part of Old Europe. This is simply clumsy, even incompetent, and quite unnecessary.

[AntiGuv]

The days of British ambivalence are numbered - within 5 to 10 years they'll have to either join the euro & the EDF or leave the European Union. That may happen sooner, with this European Constitution drive. Spain & Italy are inextricably twined with France & Germany, they may stagger & stumble along, but they will all ultimately end up in the same ultimate place. The Eastern European nations will serve to ameliorate any rifts with the United States, for a time, but their paramount concern is integrating with the Common Market and particularly joining the euro.

In short, for all the divisions and the conflicts, the European nations are on a path of convergence - just as they've designed. France & Germany appear to have jumped the gun, but they're fundamental motivation is the real future of Europe; it's the dissenters which represent the past of Europe. In brief, Europe wants to become some sort of supersized Japan Inc. circa 1990, increasingly disinterested with the rest of the world beyond how it impacts its own prosperity. One may argue with the wisdom of the EU course, but the trajectory doesn't seem genuinely ambiguous.