Merkel - Failure of Euro may mean war in Europe?

[Coito ergo sum]

"Nobody should take for granted another 50 years of peace and prosperity in Europe. They are not for granted. That's why I say: If the euro fails, Europe fails," Merkel said, followed by a long applause from all political groups.

"We have a historical obligation: To protect by all means Europe's unification process begun by our forefathers after centuries of hatred and blood spill. None of us can foresee what the consequences would be if we were to fail."

http://euobserver.com/19/114075

Who would be on whose side?

[Xamonas Chegwé]

If a German says there will be war, you sort of have to take them seriously.

[Coito ergo sum]

If a German says there will be war, you sort of have to take them seriously.

That was my first thought...it's in their genes...

[Rum]

The German's want 'permanent supervision of Greece'. What they couldn't so in WW2, they are arriving at through this business..

[Jason]

'Racial' stereotypes? Please.

Germany, a fiscally responsible country and major contributor to both the IMF and EFSF, is only looking after their investment, and the investments of all other nations, in further bailing out Greece - a country that continues to fail to stabilize itself in spite of the loans they have received and have the gall to say they have been 'blackmailed and humiliated'. There are serious concerns that Greece will default on its creditors and cause even more economic havoc. Merkel is pointing out that further fiscal irresponsibility on the part of Greece is unacceptable and that further loans should come with more oversight to prevent Greece's defaulting.

I'm sure that you've misconstrued her use of the word 'permanent'. I seriously doubt she meant it to be a financial vassalage. Rather I'm sure she meant that some sort of advisory board with some real influence in policy making be put in place, and why shouldn't it? Investors in a company have a say as shareholders, why shouldn't investors in a country?

"We want Greece to be back on its feet again as soon as possible and will do everything we can to this end," she concluded.

[Rum]

'Racial' stereotypes? Please.

Germany, a fiscally responsible country and major contributor to both the IMF and EFSF, is only looking after their investment, and the investments of all other nations, in further bailing out Greece - a country that continues to fail to stabilize itself in spite of the loans they have received and have the gall to say they have been 'blackmailed and humiliated'. There are serious concerns that Greece will default on its creditors and cause even more economic havoc. Merkel is pointing out that further fiscal irresponsibility on the part of Greece is unacceptable and that further loans should come with more oversight to prevent Greece's defaulting.

I'm sure that you've misconstrued her use of the word 'permanent'. I seriously doubt she meant it to be a financial vassalage. Rather I'm sure she meant that some sort of advisory board with some real influence in policy making be put in place, and why shouldn't it? Investors in a company have a say as shareholders, why shouldn't investors in a country?

"We want Greece to be back on its feet again as soon as possible and will do everything we can to this end," she concluded.

I was being glib, and I agree with much of what you say. Greece has acted appallingly (for example when civil service salaries were capped some of them managed somehow to wangle 13 monthly payments a year as a way to get around it - and that was well before the crisis!).

However the only way to get this situation under control ultimately is for even greater union - mostly fiscal but there will be an element of political union too. That puts Germany and to a lesser extent France in charge.

Germany gets to be boss of Europe after all!

[Atheist-Lite]

The management of Greece is appalling although according to what I've read the Greek people are actually harder workers than the Germans when they have the opportunity. This will end in war. The Germans are power & control freaks and the Southern Europeans favour family. Very different ways of looking at life.

[Rum]

The management of Greece is appalling although according to what I've read the Greek people are actually harder workers than the Germans when they have the opportunity. This will end in war. The Germans are power & control freaks and the Southern Europeans favour family. Very different ways of looking at life.

I have you on foe. I opened this post as it was part of the conversation. I wish I hadn't.

[Atheist-Lite]

The management of Greece is appalling although according to what I've read the Greek people are actually harder workers than the Germans when they have the opportunity. This will end in war. The Germans are power & control freaks and the Southern Europeans favour family. Very different ways of looking at life.

I have you on foe. I opened this post as it was part of the conversation. I wish I hadn't.

You are not my foe. I don't do that.

[Coito ergo sum]

If not his foe, are you his fee or his fie? Don't tell me you're his fum...

[Rum]

If not his foe, are you his fee or his fie? Don't tell me you're his fum...

I smell blood - its of an Englishman!

[Audley Strange]

If we don't get our act together and sort out this mess it may well lead to a set of circumstances where we have a cascade of defaults and economic depressions, which in turn will lead to massive populist resentments towards certain countries and no doubt ethnic groups which will in turn encourage people to vote for unstable ideologically possessed lunatics.

[Atheist-Lite]

If we don't get our act together and sort out this mess it may well lead to a set of circumstances where we have a cascade of defaults and economic depressions, which in turn will lead to massive populist resentments towards certain countries and no doubt ethnic groups which will in turn encourage people to vote for unstable ideologically possessed lunatics.

I think I've already seen this movie. You can have my ticket? Catch you all later....

[Rum]

The management of Greece is appalling although according to what I've read the Greek people are actually harder workers than the Germans when they have the opportunity. This will end in war. The Germans are power & control freaks and the Southern Europeans favour family. Very different ways of looking at life.

I have you on foe. I opened this post as it was part of the conversation. I wish I hadn't.

You are not my foe. I don't do that.

You may or may not be pleased to know that you are the first and only person I have ever foed. Personally I come here for fun and being reminded that life is nothing but misery and human beings are base and low creatures is not my idea of fun.

[klr]

The failure of the Euro would not by itself be enough to trigger war - not by a long shot (!), but it could certainly trigger increased social unrest and make political cooperation even harder. Merkel has the right general idea: The more economically interdependent countries are, the less incentive they have to go their own way, even if that stops well short of war - or even just sabre-rattling. Of course, people don't always act rationally.