Uh, I wouldn't be all as negative about that.
First of all, the European "Union" is not bound to endure--and it could very well be the eastern European countries that crack it apart.
I doubt the European "Union" will last past 2020, and probably even shatter by 2015.
As we know, Paris, Brussels, and Berlin run the show.
Which of course they could do, as long as the European "Union" was reasonably compact. But as with all things, the larger it gets, the more unwieldy it gets.
Since the experiences of the eastern European nations are "different" from the experiences of Paris, Brussels, and Berlin, there are likely to be serious differences once the former are integrated with the latter.
I could very well imagine a scenario where the mere Bulgarians, of all people, might provide the banana-peel on which Paris, Brussels, and Berlin slip.
Who knows; man proposes, God disposes.
Yeah, sure, it is disappointing that Poland, the valiant independent assertive Poles, joined the European "Union," but one has to remember an important detail here.
Poland apparently joined the European "Union" so as to keep the socio-economic, political, and military influence of Russia at bay--something which must always concern them--and so as to strength ties with the west.
There is the matter of geography to be considered.
I am sure the general public support, in Poland, for the European "Union" is lukewarm (this is speculation of mine, not firm knowledge), but how else to accomplish their need to distance themselves from Russia and to join the west?
I mean, Poland cannot join South America, as much as they might wish to. One has to take what one can get.
It appears Poland is sorely aware that nothing has changed; everything is as it always has been.
For one example, the Russians negotiated a deal with Paris, Brussels, and Berlin, involving the sale of natural gas to the European "Union," via pipeline.
The easiest, quickest, and cheapest way would have been to build the pipeline right through Poland to Paris, Brussels, and Berlin--not to mention that it would have provided jobs, and income, for Poland.
And Poland, as a member of the European "Union," deserved such consideration--after all, what are the Europeans but brothers, and close brothers at that, and as all brothers concerned for the well-being of each other?
Or so it would seem.
Anyway, so Russia, and Paris, Brussels, and Berlin, agreed to build the pipeline underneath the Baltic Sea, bypassing Poland altogether.
So much for "unity" here.
I have no doubt Poland will inevitably see itself as merely being "used" by Paris, Brussels, and Berlin, and provide some of that which will inevitably shatter the European "Union."
I have confidence in Poland.
Poland has been meeting more and more with France's Chirac lately and coming on line to their stance, to include dumping Boeing for Airbus. Also, read up on those links I posted, the Loyalty Clause of the EU unConstitution is an eye openner. Did you know that there is no recourse to sue an EU cop? That's just a few examples, like the lack of Habeous Corpus and other "unnecessary" rights. But then again, there is no God in the EU so how can there be inalliable rights? And if things in the brewing police state start to really fall apart, well start a war, that's what most such regime do.