Many events occurring this year in Europe are reinforcing the increasing dominance of that continent by the nation of Germany.
Having created a monetary system that contained inequities destined to sow the seeds of its own failure, Germany now has the whole of Eastern Europe in addition to Ireland, the Baltic countries and Iceland virtually begging for German initiative to lead them out of economic crisis.
Germany is clearly the economic and the political power to which the whole of Europe now looks for leadership in its time of crisis. Yet it has been roundly criticized for not pulling its weight in the security and defense of the West.
Germany has for some time been encouraged by other EU nations and, in particular, by the United States, to shoulder a greater burden in the defense and security of not only Europe, but in theaters such as Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf. Almost every step of the way, Germany has appeared reluctant to oblige. Now, things are changing—and changing rapidly. All of a sudden, Germany’s postwar image as a reluctant debutante has been replaced by that of a new, vigorous, highly inventive, state-of-the-art emerging military power!
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