Before WWI Europe struggled with the adoption of liberal democracy [bourgeois democracy] and coming out of the ancien regime. Between the world wars liberal democracy was weak because it was bourgeois and not inclusive enough. Fascism and Socialism had the upper hand, and lbearlism allied itself with socialism to defeat fascism. After WWII, socialism and liberalism were the poles, and Europe developed its own brand of social democracy [with roots dating before WWI].
The EU has its origins and motivation within Western Europe itself: France and Germany wanted to make it impossible to have WWII between them. The transtlantic relationship is built around NATO and the "red scare" was not a factor in creating the EU [we've debated this point here on ET before, without general agreement].
After the fall of the Iron Curtain and 40 years of European Construction, the EU was ready to become its own global pole. The US opposes that and want to see the EU subordinate to the US through NATO.
The 'new europe' countries are atlanticists, more pro-NATO than pro-EU. From the point of view of making the EU independent of the US, they function as US Trojan horses. The EU as a whole is weaker because of this, and separating the 'core' could strengthen it again. 'New Europe' in this atlanticist, US-subordinate role includes the UK and any other peripheral [not France or Germany] Western European countries which happen to have christian-democrat governments [Barroso, Aznar, Berlusconi, Fogh-Rasmussen, Bondevik, Balkenende...] guaranteed to evoke a violent reaction from police is to challenge their right to "define the situation." --- David Graeber citing Marc Cooper
" [Certain political actors in] The US oppose[s] that and want to see the EU subordinate to the US through NATO."
true.
In my house we want to see the Union Européenne thrive as an example of a coöperative collection of free and genuinely self-governing nations which share and promote and defend real democratic ideals--everywhere. "In such an environment it is not surprising that the ills of technology should seem curable only through the application of more technology..." John W Aldridge
Trojan horses, peripheral states - isn't it like Russia treats them? In Russian media Eastern European countries considered as somewhat insignificant, as a geographic barrier on cooperation with Western Europe, therefore attempts to avoid them as a transport transit link if possible.
If Chirac and Prodi succeed in creating separate core group isn't it a sign of weakness of Old European identity? Old Europe for Poles is less attractive than American security umbrella.
