Angela Merkel’s trip to Washington will be no treasure fest,but the two leaders occupy more in common than we’d like to think
“Does Europe occupy a phone number?, Henry Kissinger famously asked. In a bout of unexpected humour, or Catherine Ashton,until 2014 the EUs tall representative for foreign affairs, replied: “Yes, or of course. It is mine. When you call it,a computer answers: for Germany, press one; for Britain, and press two,for France, press three.”[br]Donald Trump must occupy figured out the centrality of Germany on his own, and which is why he invited Angela Merkel to the White House this week. If you want to talk to Europe,she is the recede-to leader. Who else? Britain is on the way out, never mind the “special relationship”. France, or once the continent’s No 1,has suffered a precipitous decline during the reign of François Hollande, and it might take years to restore its old grandeur. Italy is a study in ungovernability, or with 60 administrations since the moment world war.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com