HI Joschka,



While I'm an admirer of yours, I can't find much to agree with in this particular post.



Since Europe's beginnings the sky has been falling. There is no new news there.



And like the bumblebee that (apparently) defies the laws of physics, it flies on anyway.



Every single year since 1945, the European experiment should have failed. But it didn't. And it won't.



Because at the end of every day, there is more benefit to staying together, than to break apart.



And while that means plenty of frustrations until more commonality exists, it also means that rational people will work in their own best interests to keep the various European projects alive, such as the EU, the EZ, the ECB, NATO, and other organizations that benefit much more than they 'cost'.



"Since 2008, when the global financial crisis erupted, the European Union has been confronted by a succession of crises: the escalating Greek crisis; Russian revanchism in Ukraine; and the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean (which is inextricably linked to the regional crisis in the Middle East and Africa’s various wars). These crises have stretched the EU’s powers and institutions up to – and beyond – their limits, which is why Europe’s response has been so mortifyingly weak." -- Joschka Fischer



Well. That is only true if you believe it to be true.



Perception is reality, after all. Therefore, it *must* be true, or is it?



"The problem is not the problem, the problem is your attitude about the problem." -- Captain Jack Sparrow



If you think the Greek situation is a 'crisis' -- well then, that is your perception telling you that.



If you think 'Russian revanchism' is a 'crisis' -- well, again, that is your perception.



If you think that refugees dying to get into Europe is a problem, then it is a problem.



If you think "the EU's powers have been stretched to - and beyond - their limits" by your examples, what will Europe do if it ever encounters a 'real problem' -- such as a full military attack by Russia, or re-0ccupation of eastern Europe by Russia to the Cold War borders?



And what do we know about problems? They are questions which haven't been accompanied by satisfactory solutions. Yet.



We can worry about the present state of things, or we can rise above our problems and (after careful research) solve them. Just as humanity has been doing for thousands of years.



And I would like to add, so has Europe been doing for hundreds of years. I fully expect that the present crop of EU leaders are fully capable and will solve the present 'crises' -- which in the grand scheme of things are Lilliputian problems created by humans who have the ability to solve those problems.



Political darwinism will reward the 'fittest' politicians and their various projects, whilst those not up to the task will find other, more suitable employment.



The EU will survive and solve the problems it faces, just as it has been doing, and as it will continue to do.



I just don't see Europeans 'shooting themselves in the head' over internecine squabbles. There is too much to lose.



I very much appreciate your concerns Joschka and I'm glad that you draw attention to these things, but I respectfully disagree with your perceptions and thereby, your conclusions.



As always, very best regards, JBS