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To: Cronos

You are absolutely right.

I was referring to France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom in particular.

I think that traditionally France and Germany have been the dominant players in Europe, and it is not inaccurate to generalize from them to the continent in broad strokes.

At the same time Poland, Russia, Hungary, to an extent Italy, and other historically second tier (sorry, but Poland has not been a player in Europe as much as a prize for others) are doing yeoman’s work on a heroic level to keep the entire continent from being destroyed.


9 posted on 06/16/2016 2:51:36 AM PDT by Piranha (Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have - Saul Alinsky)
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To: Piranha
Thanks

France and Germany are exclusively Western Europe. Their economic power holds sway over Central and Eastern Europe, but culturally not so much, and definitely weakening (in the 1800s they had a lot of cultural power, now they have no culture)

The countries you list have been the traditional "Western European" powers leaving out Switzerland and Italy (Spain was in the cold due to Franco)

If you were talking about economic matters, France+Germany combined GDP is 38% of the EU's, so a lot, but not a super-majority (which is why I would not want a Brexit, as the UK helps to balance the Franco-German axis)

In terms of political power, yes a lot, but that's also diminishing as Central European powers are no longer awed by Westerners economic heft.

Culturally, the French were strong, but Central europe is seeing a lot of nationalism, and France is reviled -- more people learn English than French.

If you say "Europe is overrun with Moslems" -- and give France (10% ) and Germany (5%) as proof, then you forget that the % of Moslems in the EU is 3% -- and I agree that 3% is too high

11 posted on 06/16/2016 7:24:36 AM PDT by Cronos (Obama's dislike of Assad is not based on his brutality but that he isn't a jihadi Moslem)
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