Comments on: UPDATED: The Failed State After Next: Oui et Non

By: Aryan

Aryan — Thu, 21 Jul 2005 12:02:49 +0000

ms jackson UPDATED: The Failed St…

By: Jorgen Karlsson

Jorgen Karlsson — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 10:34:02 +0000

musi UPDATED: The Failed St…

By: Mwalimu Daudi

Mwalimu Daudi — Mon, 02 May 2005 14:59:49 +0000

I think that the margin of the vote will not be relevant. A “Oui” vote, even if it is by a single ballot, will be spun by most of the European and American press as the beginning of an unstoppable EU juggernaut. And don’t underestimate a scoundrel like Jacques Chirac in his ability to coerce a “Oui” vote out of nothing. Perhaps we will see the French version of the Hanging Chad caper of a few years ago in the USA.

By: Kobayashi Maru

Kobayashi Maru — Thu, 28 Apr 2005 10:55:27 +0000

Europe may chafe at the frustrations of Brussels bureaucracy and the many small indignities of life under the EU. But those separatist tendencies are tempered by shared memory (albeit dimming) of the horrors of Balkanization and war. Canada has nothing similar in the collective consciousness to give pause.

By: Pat Patterson

Pat Patterson — Thu, 28 Apr 2005 05:28:50 +0000

What is interesting is the similarity of Europe’s predicament now and that of the years leading up to WWII. Failed and accomodationist socialist governments become prey to some form of totalitarian populist movements. The social compact of cooperation with the left and mild forms of capitalism have over the long run results in the left entrenched and capitalism unable to expand enough to forestall economic stasis. I worry that the leaders of Europe will, like Leon Blum and Chamberlain, not be competent or determined enough to effect any workable solutions.

By: Alan Kellogg

Alan Kellogg — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 18:39:42 +0000

Then again, it could be a simple cause of tribalism. “We’ll take the Krauts and the Wops, but we don’t want the Polacks.”

By: Alan Kellogg

Alan Kellogg — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 18:37:13 +0000

The divide as I see it: French leaders see the EU has a chance to extend French sovereignity. The French people see the EU as a loss of French sovereignity. So long as French leaders do not adequately address the concerns of the French people vis a vis French sovereignity then the EU constitution has no chance of passage in France.