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Friday, June 20, 2008

EUROPEAN TREATY DOOMED

European Treaty “Doomed” · June 18, 2008

By Hal Mayer

“But they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. Dan 2:43. The European Union’s latest attempt to bring Europe into closer political unity has come to a screeching halt once again.

On June 12, 2008, Irish voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty. The Treaty was an attempt to resurrect the European Constitution that was rejected by Dutch and French voters in 2005. Treaties (or a Constitution) must be ratified by all 27 members of the bloc. The leaders of many European nations usually approve the treaty without a popular vote, in spite of the fact that a large number, perhaps even a majority, of Europe’s citizens don’t want Brussels telling them what to do.

Second, another factor that has gotten in the way of the treaty or constitution is that there are now so many nations with differing and often competing interests that it is almost impossible for them to agree on a constitution.

But even among the powerbrokers there is growing disunity. Historic French and German rivalries, dating all the way back to the time of Clovis in the 6th century, have arisen again. Now that Germany has been reunited, France is seeking to mute a resurgent German political power. “French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s push for a Mediterranean Union – a new regional alliance that would include all Mediterranean littoral states (states that surround the Mediterranean sea) from the Middle East, North Africa and Europe – is a perfect example” of this French independence wrote Stratfor, a strategic forecasting group. This regional union would exclude Germany, since Germany is not a Mediterranean state. “The fractures within the European Union have been growing more apparent with each treaty or constitution that gets rejected, and the future of the bloc continues to darken.”

Third, the ability to steer the Union toward greater political alignment depends on which nation holds the rotating presidency of the Union. The more powerful the nation that holds the presidency, the more likely the development of greater political union. However, when the French presidency ends in December, there will be no strong nation leading the presidency until 2017 according to Strator, which makes a treaty or constitution even more remote. French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said that the treaty was “doomed.”

Yet the attempts will go on. Rome has much at stake. Her power in the old world depends on a unified Europe at least around a religious principle. The key players in European politics, such as Germany and France also have much at stake. There will be a certain type of unity, but God will decide when and under what circumstances. Watch carefully.

Source: http://www.ktfministry.org/articles/248/european-treaty-doomed