Our cities are beautiful and our cultural heritage is rich, but the spirit of progress and innovation is fading. The spark that has been burning for over 500 years is flickering, and soon there will be little originality and uniqueness left. We are losing what once made us great, what drove us to conquer continents and contribute inventions, philosophy and art. Is Europe’s future to be just a beautiful open-air museum for Americans and Asians? As Athens was for the Romans, rich in learning and culture, but stunted and lacking in energy.
We have fallen flat on our face in the Ukraine conflict. Although the war is in our backyard, we have no strategy or approach to the war of our own, following in the footsteps of big brother America, even allowing them to bomb our own gas pipelines and infrastructure, in their increasingly fruitless attempts to weaken Russia. When the US gets tired, they leave the theatre of war, just like in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan; and this time, we Europeans are left to pick up the pieces. But now with a de-industrialised Germany, rebellious France and politically paralysed Britain.
Perhaps the power will come from the East this time, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland etc? Countries that to a greater extent have retained their individuality, culture and industry. And I hardly dare to mention it, Russia.
The pendulum can swing quickly. Soon we may be accusing the US of breaking the peace in Europe, with nuclear weapons along the Ukraine-Russia border. And that Putin’s reaction may have been harsh but necessary to ensure Russian integrity and the security of the Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine. All wars have different versions, and if the winner writes history, we don’t have one yet.
The EU is now merely a coordinator and supporter of the US, with no power or will of its own. The nation states have given up self-government to the great bureaucrat in Brussels; we have even given up the idea of democracy. When it is pointed out that the President of the European Union is not elected by the people, people go wild and say that she is, even though free elections for the post of President have never been called. The EU has become a political theatre, a farce, where we are fooling ourselves, and we want to be fooled for the sake of peace of mind.
If the war in Ukraine were to spread, as few really believe, we would stand no chance with our technologically advanced but far too small armies and half-empty military stores. We would have to rely on big brother again, unless he is busy in the Middle East, Taiwan or elsewhere. The chances that NATO would stand up in solidarity to all its small, militarily weak members are diminishing by the day.
Now many are waiting for Trump. For something to happen when he comes to power. That the deadlock will be broken and Europe can once again choose its own path. Because the EU bureaucrats are not really allied with the US, but with the US Democratic Party. Already now, they are trying to secure various decisions and commitments from Trump, so that he cannot overturn the current order. Taste it, friends of democracy, law and order. It’s been a long time since EU politicians did the people’s bidding; we expect nothing but restrictions, hassles and bans. That is what we have to look forward to, that is the road ahead.
Unless we once again become a power in our own right, outside the American, Russian and Chinese agenda. A sphere of power all of our own that the other countries will have to deal with. It is easy to imagine that with the amazing capacity of our continent, that we would become the largest and richest; there we also find the answer to why they try to control us, and keep us down at all costs.
