France and Germany aim for union to challenge US

Telegraph ^ | 11/12/03 | telegraph

[BlueLancer]

Fans will no doubt lap up the latest techno-thriller from Bond and Patrick Larkin, the team responsible for Vortex and Red Phoenix . In late 1997, world order has been destabilized by recession and extreme nationalism. The French foreign minister creates "EurCon," a European Confederation led by France and Germany that will rule Europe. EurCon's attempt to assimilate Eastern Europe meets with resistance, particularly from Poland, and soon the U.S. and Britain are pulled into the struggle. The war and its build-up are reported by various observers: the senior CIA field man in Moscow, the private advisor to the U.S. president, a French intelligence agent, a Hungarian police commander, a Russian intelligence man, a CIA economist (the lone woman and hence the "like" interest) and officers of the American, German and Polish armed forces. The French are definitely the bad guys here, albeit dim ones who don't see the writing on the wall when the Americans wipe out their nuclear capability two-thirds through the book.

[Lonely NY Conservative]

This would be the second time they collaborate in the last century. The last time didn't work out so well.

[observer5]

Fascism is well and alive in Germany...

[.cnI redruM]

I guess two bankrupt economies with 10% unemployment are better than one.

[IamEveryman]

Europe is the greatest threat to the World. Even the Chicoms concede this.Lok for a new colonialist facist threat form the EU by mid century

[DB]

Heading for a fall...

[aynrandfreak]

Dang, are you saying that we shouldn't have liberated France? I think it still made sense if only to defeat Hitler before he got the A-bomb.

[cookcounty]

Will this "union" produce any children?

With their rapid population shrinkage, there's going to be nothing left but a handful of young folk staggering under crushing Social Security taxes.

Maybe we should send instructions to "GermaFrance" on how to work their zippers.

[pierrem15]

a) Can any one explain to me how this is even possible under EU rules? Of course it isn't-- it would require the renegotian of the Nice Treaty on expansion and/or the EU "constitution." They forgot to mention the 12 foot bong the Vile Lapin had installed at the Quai d'Orsay.

b)The other thing the Euro snots are forgetting is that if they claim to be a major military power, no one will believe them and they will be forced to prove it.

Still, the combo of nationalism and socialism in both France and Germany right now is nauseating and worrisome.

[HamiltonJay]

That's right, turn Europe once again into Pre WWI alliances.. so that a single assassination can through the entire continent back into war...

Give it up, the French frankly are too damned lazy to ever be a threat to anyone fiscally, and the Germans, well they just lack direction as a nation frankly.

[Richard Axtell]

When, if ever, have the French and the Germans been allies? Perhaps during the time of Charlemagne? The 19th Century began with a massive European war, allying Britain, Prussia, Austria and Russia against France. Napoleon lost of course, and set up the situation for the mid century consolidation of German power under Prussia. Then came the 1871 Franco-Prussian war, and the establishment of the European World empires, leading to the First World War.

After the German defeat, came the disastrous Versailles Treaty, and the rise of Hitler. France's reaction was to build the costly and superfluous "Maginot Line", and to be overrun by the German Blitzkrieg. Postwar-Cold War Europe saw the rise of Nato, and alliance of Western allies, under the protection and leadership of the United States. When was this vaunted "Franco-German" rapprochement?

More likely, as Germany is the more vibrant economically of the two socialist basket cases, this will represent the ultimate domination of France by Germany. But all this depends on the continuation of the Schroeder regime, which is in serious doubt. Is this what the French really want? Are they so blinded by their Anti-American relexes, as to give away their sovereignty for an illusion of world power and influence? Governments have dreamed up and carried out much more foolish plans than this, so... this kind of return to nostalgic power politics is entirely possible. But, so what? This new arrangement would actually increase the economic and social problems France and Germany have created for themselves, while continuing to avoid the real cause; namely leftist government, social, and economic policies

[wtc911]

What's the french word for Axis?

[Richard Axtell]

relexes + reflexes... oops.

[ameribbean expat]

another european union to stand up to american hegemony? what will they think of next?

[Dane]

What's the french word for Axis?

Le Asses

[Billthedrill]

Wow, does this one have "failure" tattooed on its forehead or what? What is it, precisely, about the U.S. that France and Germany will offset by uniting? Military? Nope. Economy? Uh-uh. Culture? Good luck getting a consensus. Population? No way.

Are they giving up on the EU just because those pesky little countries are balking at the inevitability of French and German leadership and dare to assert their sovereignty? Or is this simply a mechanism for forcing a greater degree of control within the EU?

Or is somebody spiking the water cooler at the Telegraph again?

[McGavin999]

I guess two bankrupt economies with 10% unemployment are better than one.

I was just going to ask about that. Do two countries with 10% unemployment equal 20%?

HA! The germans think the french will bail them out of their socialist economic troubles and the french think they're all going to be able to retire earlier because the hard working germans will become their willing slaves.