Originally Posted by
Mil-26Man
To the total contrary, it is precisely what makes the EU such an essential guarantor of peace and stability for its members. Removing the conditions for hostile competition between the member states and replacing them with incentives for cooperation are exactly why there have been no wars whatsoever between any member states since it was created.
As a wise man once said (well, Boris Johnson actually, but every clock is right twice a day), "If the EU didn't exist, we would have to invent it!"
The only thing that removes possible hostility is the injection of very large amounts of monetary contributions from the successful economies into those economies dependent upon those injections. Pre the Euro, those economies got by with regular devaluations of their own currencies, which worked well enough unless you were foolish enough to try to save. Now they have to cope with the Deutschmark in all but name. They are not Germans and the result has been a disaster for them. Once the injections dry up (Germany is teetering on recession and we are pulling the plug, though ever so slowly!) things will get worse, much worse! Never mind hostile competition, more like the making of insurrection I'd say.
The reason there have been no wars in Western Europe since the war was because it faced an external threat from the USSR. Hence NATO. It again faces an external threat from Moscow but is too busy contemplating its own navel and the glorious sunny uplands it dreams of. It needs to wake up and smell the coffee. NATO kept the peace since WWII, and is needed to keep it still. The European Army will be there to defend the EU/USE from internal threat, just like the armies of other newly formed Unions.
Johnson said that? You learn something new every day! When and where please?