Yea - I have an ongoing spat with the Irish Times - they always publish my more trivial/humorous efforts but rarely publish a longer letter on a more serious topic from private individuals - and when they do they butcher it just a little. (They edited out a reference to the European Tribune in my last letter!)

At least they haven't altered the fundamental sense of this letter which is partly that the EU can no longer look to the US to provide a security guarantee and look after its interests however broadly defined.  Atlanticism is dead as far as most Europeans are concerned and I doubt whether even the election of Obama would change that.

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."