On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 19:19:06 +0100, Martin Hotze
wrote:

Robert Perkins wrote:

The situation is still somewhat similar in Europe today. The Euros
think of themselves as French, Danish, German, Austrian, English,
Scottish, etc, first, and only then as Europeans.


it is becoming better. and it is rushing compared to the time we had.

Not completely clear what you mean by "it is rushing", but I agree
that it's becoming better. Nothing like neighbors different from
oneself to teach one the truth about one's neighbors, etc.

NATO mitigates that
a bit, but I think that's only with the 800-lb gorilla (U.S.) in the

IBTD, some countries (and even more by jan 1st 2004) are not NATO members.

All you need is a critical mass, plus the superpower in the alliance.
Personall I haven't heard about any countries withdrawing from NATO.
The most likely candidate seems to be France, but even then I see no
evidence of it; France knows the benefits of military alliance with
its three largest neighbors.

And as Heinlein put it, politics is vastly superior to war.

well, we had only about 50 years time. for this short of time we did a rather
good job, IMHO.

Have a care that it doesn't become a false dawn. Austrians I know were
still fond of singing "Deutschland, Deutschland, ohne alles!" as late
as 1990. One of them, a tradesman, went around grousing about how much
Austria was better while he was in Switzerland.

All it'll take is a shortage.

Rob

--
[You] don't make your kids P.C.-proof by keeping them
ignorant, you do it by helping them learn how to
educate themselves.

-- Orson Scott Card