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"Are you German?"

Yes - if that's ok with you ;-). The main page said that "FreeRepublic" was about "independent, grass-roots conservatism" and i can identify with that.

I grew up 200 yards from an American military installation though, so I'm naturally against Mr. Schroeder's anti-americanism and the communist propaganda of our Green party. Plus I used to work in a very "Americanized" environment for quite a long time.

The question of the future of the European union actually reminds of a discussion I had with a G.I. a few years ago, when the negotiations for the treaty of Nice were about to fail, who was convinced that the EU would fail and that there might even be a (cold) war in Europe. But that's not the way things work in Europe.

Actually I myself am a critic, but not an enemy, of the European union - because for a great part it lacks democratic legitimation. But then there are certain fields where European cooperation is absolutely necessary, and in those fields a reformed European union would be an apt tool of furthering common interests (which do exists).

And there is nothing wrong with promoting these common interests, the European nations have every right to do so. Illegal immigration for example: To find working solutions that benefit all the states, you have to get them to work together.

The EU as it is now is far from that ideal - and in this regard the constitutional treaty is somewhat ambiguous: In some fields it streamlines and slims down EU involvement with local affairs, in other fields it transfers sovereignty from the nation states to Brussels. I would prefer having the first without the second.

My opinion regarding and EU collapse in the next 10 years is based on the following:

History teach us that there cannot be a coherent union of people who are made up of different nationalities, speaks different languages, have a different cultures, have different history. You may say that the USA is made up of different nationalities and it is the most successful and powerful nation on the planet. The answer to that the "vast majority, over 95%" of people in the USA consider themselves Americans, they speak English, and they are very much part of the American culture. This will never happen in Europe, their will never be a common language, or culture, and thus any union will eventually fail in this continent.

EU was a reactionary response to the incredible super power of the United States. Many of the EU laws and regulations, including the EURO, were nothing but a set of anti-US emotions to confront the US on economic, political and "may be" economical level, all masked under a strong Europe. Because it is mainly hostile emotions, it will eventually fail.

EU is proven to be an economic failure so far and the future will be even worse. The average uneployement rate is twice then that of the US (10% Vs 5%), the EU GDP growth is half of that of the US (2% Vs 4%). EU has adopted a heavy socialist welfare system that impose very heavy taxation on hard working people and businesses, taxation that are much larger than that in the US.

The socialist welfare system will eventually got bankrupted, and the utter economic disaster will strengthen the voice of nationalism in the large powerful members (Britain, Germany, France, possibly Italy) and the call for leaving EU will get very strong and this will lead to the collapse of the Union that was built on sand.

WELCOME TO FREE REPUBLIC

May you have a long and enjoyable stay here.

"MadIvan" is one of our major contributors from England, and we have some others. I know we've got a couple regulars from Germany, but I don't recall their screen names just now. You'll run across them.

You'll naturally get people calling you names on this Forum, for some dumb reason - Don't worry too much about them - try to educate them with YOUR experience - but if they can't be educated, with others. Longtimers here realize that most everyone has some valuable experience to impart to the group - even if we don't agree. Don't be shy about the things you know.

Again, welcome. It will be nice to have additional input from across the pond.

.....To find working solutions that benefit all the states, you have to get them to work together.....

For this reason the assimilation will continue to occur gradually and incrementally unless a charismatic leader arises that can unite the various factions.

It is difficult to imagine a charismatic leader who can campaign all over and magically get people to follow his lead down a path to assimilation.