Sunday, July 22, 2012

A Disturbing 1930s Vibe

Europe's long peace is threatened by the massive debt accumulated and the temptation to blame others for the problems this borrowing has caused. One major refusal to pay debts and rein in further borrowing could cause chaos:

Europe is one demagogue away from causing an earthquake in global finance such that the current problems seem a tremor in comparison. If Silvio Berlusconi – the only truly populist politician the continent has produced in the last half a century – were 20 years younger, I fancy it would have been him. As it is, a great deal now depends on whether a man will emerge somewhere in Europe capable of pushing nervous and resentful electorates over the precipice to outright default.

Is a man on a white horse really so far fetched?

And if Western Europe--the forward line of NATO--falters for even a bit, would Russia--which has dangerously promoted the idea that NATO expansion was a stab in the back--take advantage of the disorder to engineer an anschluss with Belorus and Ukraine?

Do you really wonder why I keep beating the dead horse of keeping a robust American Army presence in Europe?