Congrats, United States of Europe!

[straffo]

You need now to explain me how it's linking with European Anti semitism.

[Thrawn]

Originally posted by Halo
"... the planet has a second superpower now, and ... its global influence will continue to increase as the world moves toward a bipolar balance of economic, political, and diplomatic authority."

"bi[/i]polar"?   I guess there's no China in his world.

[Rude]

Originally posted by Dead Man Flying
Until the European Union can act as a cohesive political, economic, and military unit, it will not achieve "superpower" status as we know it.  

For example, the amount of taxes collected by the American federal government far eclipses that of any single state.  About 19% of this tax money then goes into military spending, another 19% on discretionary spending, and close to 50% goes into social insurance programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

I ask this in all honesty... can Europeans on this board truly envision a day where a unified EU governmental body supersedes the power of the individual countries?  Will this body alone determine if the EU goes to war regardless of the wishes of its constituents?  If the EU decided to send EU troops comprised of all member nations into Iraq, would EU member nations support this action despite fundamentally disagreeing with it?

There's more to being a superpower than economics alone.

-- Todd/Leviathn

It's a gelded EU.

[Neubob]

Originally posted by Thrawn
"bi[/i]polar"?   I guess there's no China in his world.

Not to mention on this BBS:

Originally posted by Neubob
In other news, the existance of a heavily populated, economically-significant landmass in Asia is confirmed.

Anthropologists from Oxford, when questioned as to what this landmass will be named, say they cannot be certain as of yet, but are leaning towards calling this still enigmatic region 'China'.
 

[Rude]

Originally posted by Gh0stFT
I can also suggest the Book from Jeremy Ripotato peelin: "The Europen Dream".


"...The European Union’s $10.5 trillion GDP now eclipses the United States’, making it the largest economy in the world._ The EU is already the world’s leading exporter and largest internal trading market. Moreover, much of Europe enjoys a longer life span and greater literacy, and has less poverty and crime, less blight and sprawl, longer vacations, and shorter commutes to work than we do in the United States._ When one considers what makes a people great and what constitutes a better way of life, observes Ripotato peelin, Europe is beginning to surpass America."

Read more here:
The European Dream

R
Gh0stFT

While statistics may cause your hopes to rise, you've forgotten two essential components required to elevate a nation to super power status....Heart and Balls, both of which the EU can't even begin to understand much less possess....with the single exception of GB.

[Rude]

Originally posted by Dowding
The EU already passes laws which the member governments have to abide by in every court in the judiciary. The only way to not abide by this legislature is to repeal the act of parliament that joined the UK with the EU, for instance.

Politically it won't be possible for many generations.

Neubob:



You are truly an enlightened individual. Congratulations Euro-stalker!

No truth to his last remark Dowding?

[wasq]

Originally posted by lada
IMO Eu will not grow that fast anymore and if so, i guess it will grow toward north.

Norway?

Not much in the north to grow, I think.

[Nilsen]

And what if russia joins some day ?

[Neubob]

Never fear, fellow "Euro-Stalkers"

Give them another thirty years, they'll turn on each other and we'll go back to selling warbonds and rationing our meat to keep them from ending the world.

Either that or we'll end the world ourselves.

Either way, the Chinese will be the only ones left when it's all said and done.

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by Halo
Congratulations to the United States of Europe.  Just finishing T.R. Reid's chronicle of united European accomplishments, his 2004 book called The United States of Europe -- the New Superpower and the End of American Supremacy.

Essentially he concludes:

"... the planet has a second superpower now, and ... its global influence will continue to increase as the world moves toward a bipolar balance of economic, political, and diplomatic authority."

Excellent compilation of contemporary European achievements (e.g., the euro) that have been mounting up individually until now the subcontinent is finally beginning to function as a collective entity in many situations.  

Enjoy the book from your local bookstore or library.

Welll???
What is the second superpower??

[SLO]

Originally posted by Rude
While statistics may cause your hopes to rise, you've forgotten two essential components required to elevate a nation to super power status....Heart and Balls, both of which the EU can't even begin to understand much less possess....with the single exception of GB.

invading a 3rd world country and undermining its sovereignty doesn't take balls, it just takes a stupid man with blind followers...in other words, atomotons

[Gh0stFT]

Originally posted by SLO
invading a 3rd world country and undermining its sovereignty doesn't take balls, it just takes a stupid man with blind followers...in other words, atomotons

ya i was thinking the same, balls for what? a new war every
5 or 10 years?
Europe saw more then enough wars the last century,
the new century is about working togheter for a better future.
if something takes balls, then this challenge.

R
Gh0stFT

[OIO]

I wouldnt call the EU a 'united states'... it more like a loose federation of nations.


When and IF (which i seriously doubt) they truly merge their military and economy , THEN they may be something for the USA to watch out for.


But.... I really dont see neither France nor Germany , definetely not the UK or any euro nation for that matter doing that. Not in a couple hundred years more at least.

Plus euro population is dropping like a rock. Soon there will be a big economic issues in euroland from this.

[Panzzer]

Originally posted by Nilsen
And what if russia joins some day ?

Don't see that happening soon... So it's you Norwegians.

[soda72]

Originally posted by Panzzer
Don't see that happening soon... So it's you Norwegians.

Would this mean they would have to share their oil profits?