Quote Originally Posted by davidbfpo View Post
An alternative view

The idea of a European Union (EU), which is far more than the Euro and a fiscal union, is a concept that is IMO not shared by many of the EU electorate, even less now with the debt crisis. Those who shared the concept, mainly national-level politicians and bureaucracies, failed to articulate what it actually meant, partly out of fear. Now the electorate are expected to "bail out" southern members, partly on the claimed basis it makes sense.

The EU ignored its own rules over the Euro, for political reasons and partly as Germany was distracted by the huge support costs of reunification.

Look at the Schengen Zone's weakening after the Libyan and Tunisian refugee exodus. Let alone the Common Foreign & Security Policy (CFSP) left in disarray after the Libyan intervention.

The EU appears to have attempted a politics-free economic union and then looked surprised when the markets and people have expressed concern over the state we now fin ourselves in.
Hey David,

I appreciate the comments. Working with my police friends in Iraq was a very interesting exposure to experiencing the on the ground reality of population demographics and ways of approaching things.

It would indeed seem to logically follow that if a fiscal union were to occur, some sort of political union would eventually appear upon the horizon.

My copy of The Economist, The World in 2011 quotes Herman Van Rompuy in the article: Europe in the new global game, as follows:

Historians will interpret the period we are living in as the transition from the economic phase of globalisation to its political phase. Economic globalisation came into full swing after the events of 1989, which ended communism and united Europe, and the West was proud of the universal attraction of its lifestyle. The number of democracies rose. Global trade and technology lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, all over the world. Negative effects, such as growing inequalities, were brushed aside. This phase is now over.
Know that you enjoy the BBC and I do attempt to keep up with it's reporting on this topic and others.

A good book regarding the activities of The Treuhandanstalt or any other references that you would care to share would be most appreciated.