The signing in Aachen is highly symbolic. Aachen, a German city bordering Belgium and the Netherlands, was the imperial residence of Charlemagne, and from 936 to 1531 A.D., the place where 31 Holy Roman Emperors were crowned kings of the Germans. One way to understand France and Germany is to know that images of Charlemagne are dancing in their heads. Here is how John Pinkerton put it in the American Conservative:

Earlier this week, France and Germany signed an update to the Treaty of Aachen . The gist of this document is that brings the two powerhouses of the European Union closer together in terms of economics, politics, and defense matters. Among other things, this is the genesis of the 'real European army' which French President Emmanuel Macron previously called for and for which German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in full accord with.

Here in the U.S., the EU is often seen as some sort of woolly-headed utopian pipe dream. However, the core of the EU has always been something different -- something hard-nosed, not soft-hearted. The EU is ultimately about European greatness, in the spirit of Charles the Great, better known as Charlemagne. And he, of course, was no peacenik.

No, Charlemagne was no peacenik. He unified Europe as the Holy Roman Empire by the sword and a sea of blood. For this, he is called the Father of Europe.

Who can doubt that Macron will sell his soul to have, Charlemagne-like, united Europe, ruled by an imperial elite like himself according to progressive tastes? The Frenchman may indeed see himself as the new Charlemagne.

As for the Franco-German marriage, Pinkerton writes that the French are untainted by German guilt and are thus free to use their political skills -- and German economic might -- to create the European empire of their dreams. "In fact, the French have long seen diplomatie as their special skill. As Macron's predecessor in the French presidency, François Hollande, said in 2016, 'Through its diplomacy, France means to be at the center of the world.'"

And speaking of diplomacy:

Also notable of Tuesday's signing is that the Aachen document prioritizes Germany being eventually accepted as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, which it mandates as a priority for French-Germany diplomacy.

A better proposition would be for France to share its Security Council seat with Germany... or surrender it to the EU.

Why do Macron and Merkel want a European army? Who are they afraid of? Judging by their commercial actions and NATO defense spending, it can't be the Russians. Germany is fine with being dependent on Russia for much of its energy needs and with being dependent on the U.S. for its defense. In addition, the Russians are not a great worry. They are economically anemic, and their demographic profile is so poor that it's a threat to the unity of the Russian Federation itself. China? China is half a world away. And besides, the Americans will deal with them.

No, the enemies that Merkel and Macron see are the populists within Europe, the people who chaff under globalism and dogmatic rule from Brussels, the people who love their country and culture. These include not just the 'ingrates' of Eastern Europe like the Hungarians and the Poles but also the unruly Yellow Vest protestors in France and the Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) in Germany. Those are the ones who any European army under French-German control will be designed to subdue.

If you doubt that, look at what was said at the Aachen signing. In typical twisted Gallic logic, Macron said those 'who forget the value of Franco-German reconciliation are making themselves accomplices of the crimes of the past. Those who... spread lies are hurting the same people they are pretending to defend, by seeking to repeat history." Frau Merkel added: "Populism and nationalism are strengthening in all our countries. Seventy-four years -- a single human lifetime -- after the end of the second world war, what seemed self-evident is being questioned once more."

So either you're with us and our vision, or you're against us and, incidently, retroactively complicit in starting WW II. Nationalism is the new Nazism, and one needs little justification to suppress Nazis, right?

The facts -- and history -- are before us. Pinkerton writes the European elite have been longing for an updated version of the Holy Roman Empire for the past 1,200 years. This is why the city of Aachen has been giving out its prestigious Charlemagne Prize each year since 1950 for exceptional work done in the service of European unification. Not surprisingly, Macron was awarded the prize in 2018 for offering a vision of a new Europe. Merkel got her prize in 2008. Pope Francis got his in 2016.

Americans may look at Macron and see an effete pompous ass. He sees himself differently. To his mind, Macron is clothed in regal robes, sitting on a throne with Europe at his feet. Reality is more likely to make Macron out to be like Hans Christian Anderson's emperor in his new suit of clothes. In any event, if not Macron, then someone else in Europe will aspire to be Charlemagne 2.0, and he -- or maybe a she? -- will not let the common folk stand in the way. Charlemagne didn't.

As time rolls on, it will be shown that Europeans are willing to move heaven and earth to achieve their empire. Maybe this is why the Poles want to build Fort Trump in their country, to defend them not from Moscow but Brussels.

This is bad news for Europe. The last time an attempt was made to construct an empire out of the countries of Europe, World War II resulted.