Thursday, November 11, 2004
Lithuania = Delaware
By The Erudite Redneck
One theory is that until the United States gets a new competitor, or peer, or enemy — a nation or group of nations, not the rabble two-bit, third-rate criminals masquerading as a global power right now — we’re in for trouble.
So this is what it’s like in a unipolar world, with us bein’ the lone superpower. It sucks. It's like bein' the biggest redneck in a beer joint: Every other dang redneck in the joint wants to fight him.
We need a real enemy worth the name, like the Soviet Union used to be.
Like the Axis was.
Like the Huns were.
Like Mexico was (OK, that’s a stretch).
Like England was.
I’ve been thinking China would emerge as our next real peer — and it might. But maybe not.
Considering events since 9/11, it might be someone we never would’ve imagined.
Might it be Europe?
From today’s news from The Associated Press:
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuanian lawmakers ratified the newly signed European Union constitution Thursday, making one of the bloc’s newest members the first country to approve the historic document. ...
Members of the 25-nation bloc signed the constitution Oct. 29 in Rome, and the charter is supposed to take effect in 2007. ... The document must be ratified by the legislatures of all EU states in 2005 and 2006.
It’s a tricky prospect, given that at least nine countries — Denmark, Spain, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Britain — plan to put the constitution to a referendum. ...
It includes new powers for the European Parliament and ends national vetoes in 45 new policy areas — including judicial and police cooperation, education and economic policy, but not in foreign and defense policy, social security, taxation or cultural matters.
Sound familiar?
Lithuania today is Delaware in December, 1787, when it became the first state to ratify the constitution. That’s when the baby United States started to walk.
The baby European Union took a step today. With it bein' about as friendly to us as we were to England in 1787, we need to keep an eye on that kid -- especially when it gets big enough to go into a beer joint.
END
One theory is that until the United States gets a new competitor, or peer, or enemy — a nation or group of nations, not the rabble two-bit, third-rate criminals masquerading as a global power right now — we’re in for trouble.
So this is what it’s like in a unipolar world, with us bein’ the lone superpower. It sucks. It's like bein' the biggest redneck in a beer joint: Every other dang redneck in the joint wants to fight him.
We need a real enemy worth the name, like the Soviet Union used to be.
Like the Axis was.
Like the Huns were.
Like Mexico was (OK, that’s a stretch).
Like England was.
I’ve been thinking China would emerge as our next real peer — and it might. But maybe not.
Considering events since 9/11, it might be someone we never would’ve imagined.
Might it be Europe?
From today’s news from The Associated Press:
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuanian lawmakers ratified the newly signed European Union constitution Thursday, making one of the bloc’s newest members the first country to approve the historic document. ...
Members of the 25-nation bloc signed the constitution Oct. 29 in Rome, and the charter is supposed to take effect in 2007. ... The document must be ratified by the legislatures of all EU states in 2005 and 2006.
It’s a tricky prospect, given that at least nine countries — Denmark, Spain, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Britain — plan to put the constitution to a referendum. ...
It includes new powers for the European Parliament and ends national vetoes in 45 new policy areas — including judicial and police cooperation, education and economic policy, but not in foreign and defense policy, social security, taxation or cultural matters.
Sound familiar?
Lithuania today is Delaware in December, 1787, when it became the first state to ratify the constitution. That’s when the baby United States started to walk.
The baby European Union took a step today. With it bein' about as friendly to us as we were to England in 1787, we need to keep an eye on that kid -- especially when it gets big enough to go into a beer joint.
END
Comments:
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Yep, I have thought the same thing for a while; the thought being reinforced at the end of October when the European Constitution was signed. This has been in the works for all but the first two years of my life. Is there much question why, after nearly 50 years, it finally is at the point of ratification? What is it that has propelled this to the point of urgency? Certainly it hasn't been disagreement on the pens to be used or the shape of the table (a la Paris Peace Talks). It seems transparent to me that the timing is right for Europe to rise as a unified Super Power, ready to challenge the U.S. after the actions taken in response to 9/11. We better be keeping our eyes open to tremendous changes that are coming.
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