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EU Reform Treaty: Will the 'Superstate' include both Germany and Russia, and should US and UK feel threatened?

Lorna Thomas - 10/18/2007

As European members gather at the Lisbon Summit on 18-19 October, Europe stands on the threshold of approving and later ratifying a Reform Treaty that includes the creation of powerful new leadership roles, which Chancellor Merkel has described as a 'political quantum leap for Europe'.

Bilateral talks regarding German-Russian co-operation continue, with a summit held in Wiesbaden on 14-15 October, 2007. Russia is moving towards a close alliance with Germany and Europe in political, economic, religious and military spheres.

In June 2007, though voicing concern about Russia's internal and foreign policies, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair stated that 'Europe was an opportunity, not a threat'.

Despite tensions between Russia and both America and Britain, American President George Bush gave his assessment that Russia was 'not our enemy' and 'not a threat', including militarily.

In October 2007, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated in an ABC interview that 'We don't have an adversarial relationship with Russia any longer, and I would sincerely hope that Russian military activities, as well as Russian military expenditures, would reflect that.' Russia is now according to a senior U.S. official, the number two military power in the world, second only to the United States. Russia's increase in military spending and resumption of patrol flights by Russian Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers in August 2007 is becoming a cause for concern to the U.S. administration.

As I have written over the last decade, unless there are changes within Britain and America, as the balance of power and influence in the world is dramatically shifted away from them, Russia will for a period of time be closely aligned with Germany and under a future forceful leadership, indeed prove a 'threat'.

At this time, given the trends in Europe, Germany and Russia, the leaders and people of Britain and America should be deeply concerned about the implications for the future.


EUROPE'S 'NEW' REFORM TREATY RETAINS MOST OF THE CONSTITUTION

In June 2007, the European Council, the regular gathering of Prime Ministers and Presidents, agreed to a Reform treaty which, in substance, retains most of the stalled constitution vetoed by the French and Dutch in 2005.

Poland's misgivings regarding keeping its voting power at the same level as countries with much larger populations, for example Germany. were dealt with by allowing the double majority system to be phased in from 2014 until 2017, instead of being implemented in 2009. (Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski told national radio, 'We are only demanding one thing, that we get back what was taken from us. If Poland had not had to live through the years of 1939-45, Poland would today be looking at the demographics of a country of 66 million.')

The draft treaty which experts say is 95% faithful to the old Constitution is hoped to be adopted by the EU at the Lisbon summit on 18-19 October 2007 and ratified by mid 2009 by each member state. It provides for a President who will serve for 2 ½ years instead of 6 months. A High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will head the Council for Foreign Affairs.

Reviewing the German EU Presidency in a speech to the European Parliament, Brussels, on 27 June 2007 Chancellor Angela Merkel said:

'We set the course for a new common basis for the European Union. We ended the standstill. When it came down to it, we did not disappoint confidence. We avoided a rift. To put it simply: what was achieved on Saturday night has given Europe a new, shared energy.

'The agreement reached in Brussels enables us to retain the substance of the Constitutional Treaty. I think ultimately we are all basically agreed on this: the outcome of the European Council is a success, a success for Europe, and also for the European Parliament. You have consistently defended the substance of the Constitutional Treaty. And now the Reform Treaty can enter into force in time for the European elections in 2009. That is crucial for all those who will have to face the citizens.

'With the Reform Treaty we are taking account of citizens' fears of an alleged 'European superstate', of surrendering too much of the nation-states' identities. I do not share this fear, but I had to respect it. And I did respect it. That is why we decided to refrain from laying down state-like symbols and designations in the Reform Treaty.

'At the same time, the Reform Treaty contains major advances for the European Union's capacity to act. Indeed, in some areas we even went further than in the Constitutional Treaty. Climate protection and energy solidarity were included; the national parliaments will be even more closely involved in shaping national policy on Europe; there will be an even clearer delimitation of competences between the EU and the Member States; and the conditions for enhanced cooperation, particularly on justice and home affairs, were made easier.'

'Ladies and Gentlemen, the Reform Treaty turns into reality three essential elements for the future of the European Union.

'Firstly, it strengthens the EU's capacity to act, both internally and externally. The Union's single legal personality and the extension of qualified majority decision-making in the Council play a part here.

'True, the new rule on the 'double majority', which gives greater weight to demographic factors, will not come into effect until 2014 – at the same time as the first slimmed-down Commission – with a transitional period up to 2017, but it will become reality. The importance of this advance for Europe cannot be overestimated. The 'President of the European Council' and the 'team Presidencies' will also ensure greater continuity in the work of the Council when the new treaties enter into force.

'Furthermore, the Reform Treaty brings with it progress in policymaking, for instance as regards the EU's external action. Every day there is a greater need for a coherent foreign policy, every day a greater need to 'speak with one voice' in a Europe which wants to assert its interests in the world. We will appoint the 'High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy'. He will head the 'Council for Foreign Affairs', will enjoy the support of a European diplomatic service and will be a member of the Commission as Vice-President. This is a political quantum leap for Europe.'

In appointing powerful new heads of Europe enabling it to 'speak with one voice' in a Europe which wants and now becomes able 'to assert its interests in the world', Europe can and will find itself more easily moved away from Chancellor Merkel's perception of a Europe whose soul is one of 'tolerance' towards dictatorship and intolerance.



RIGHT WING EXTREMISM IN ISRAEL, RUSSIA AND GERMANY


The incidence of neo-Nazi attacks around the world was highlighted in Israel in September 2007 where eight youths suspected of being part of a neo-Nazi group in Israel were formally charged.

'Authorities in Israel have charged eight immigrants accused of belonging to a neo-Nazi gang in a case which shocked the country. The group – all from the former Soviet Union – were charged with a range of offences, including aggravated assault and spreading racist material. They are suspected of attacking religious Jews and other immigrants and daubing Nazi swaztikas in synagogues. The group's arrest sparked calls for changes to Israel's immigration laws. The youths, aged 16 to 19, were granted Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return because at least one of each of their grandparents is Jewish. The case has caused widespread revulsion and disbelief in Israel, which was founded in the wake of the Nazi Holocaust, which killed some six million Jews across Europe.' 'Israeli neo-Nazi suspects charged', BBC News, 11 September 2007

Neo-nazism has been a growing problem in Russia and Germany.

'Far from putting pressure on neo-Nazis, who have in recent years murdered and wounded dozens of immigrants, Russian authorities have seemingly turned a blind eye to race hate crimes, even at times encouraging them according to Amnesty International. However, President Putin has spoken out against neo-Nazism amid an increasing number of criminal prosecutions.' 'Neo-Nazi turns himself in after 'execution' video is shown on the internet', Times Online, Helen Womack, 16 August 2007

Despite Chancellor Merkel saying on Holocaust Memorial Day that there would be ‘an attitude of zero tolerance towards the forces who want to take us back to National Socialism’ and her belief that 'Europe's soul is tolerance' and Europe is the 'continent of tolerance', right-wing extremism in Germany occurred again in August 2007 when dozens of Germans attacked and injured a group of Indian visitors to a village fair in the eastern German state of Saxony.

'Formerly part of Communist East Germany, Saxony has seen a high rate of violence and racially-motivated attacks against foreigners since German reunification in 1990. Eastern Germany is also grappling with a resurgence in right-wing extremism after recent electoral successes of the far-right NPD party.' 'Group of Indians Attacked in Eastern Germany', Deutsche Welle, 20 August, 2007

'The German government meanwhile has condemned Sunday's attack, in which eight Indian men were pursued through the small town of Mügeln in the state of Saxony by a mob of around 50 youths shouting racist slogans. Around 70 police officers were needed to break up the assailants. In the ensuing melee, all eight Indians and four Germans -- among them two police officers -- were injured... Saxony is a stronghold of the extreme right-wing National Democratic Party (NPD), which received 9 percent of votes in a state election in 2004 and is now represented in the state parliament in Dresden.' 'Attack on Indians Rekindles Racism Debate in Germany', Deutsche Welle, 22 August, 2007

'Two right-wing extremists have confessed to beating up two Africans in the west of Germany, police said Monday as a new attack on an African was reported and investigations continued into three other racist assaults....Leading German politicians have expressed doubts whether a ban {on the NPD} could be imposed after a similar attempt was quashed by the country's top court in 2003.
The deputy president of the European Commission, Franco Frattini, called for the banning of the NPD after the attack in Mügeln.
He said in an interview with the Bild am Sonntag newspaper on Sunday that neo-Nazis represented "a threat" and "an ulcerous cancer for democratic countries like Germany."

'German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the attack in Mügeln as "extremely grim and shameful" and a government spokesman said it was harmful to Germany's image abroad.' 'More Racist Attacks Reported Across Germany' , Deutsche Welle, 27 August, 2007

While Chancellor Merkel rightly condemns racist attacks, it is not inconceivable that future German leadership could promulgate very different views and once again drastically effect the lives of many people.

Chancellor Merkel may currently not share 'citizens' fears of an alleged 'European superstate' or of surrendering too much of the nation-states' identities', however, a constitution allowing for powerful new roles in Europe could potentially also be 'a quantum leap' towards abuse of power.



A FUTURE LEADING ROLE IN GERMANY AND EUROPE?


With the Papacy's emphasis over the past years on Europe seeking its Christian roots, it is also not inconceivable that someone such as Steffen Heitmann, former Justice Minister of Saxony, an ordained priest and lawyer and Chancellor Kohl's surprise nomination for the country's highest office of German President in the 1994 elections, could come to play a leading role in Europe in the future.

On 29 April, 1997 Steffen Heitmann and Archbishop Giovanni Layola, ratified a Concordat signed on 2 July, 1996 between the Vatican and the Free State of Saxony governing Church-State relations.

(It was the first Concordat between the Vatican and an East German state and the second one with a German state since Hitler concluded a Concordat with the Pope in 1933, one being concluded with Lower Saxony in 1965. In 1929 Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty with the Catholic Church, bringing into being the Vatican City State with full diplomatic and political power.)

At the time of his nomination, Heitmann's views, including on Germany's past and foreigners living in Germany were a cause for deep concern, eventually resulting in his withdrawal as presidential candidate.

'Chancellor Helmut Kohl is facing the prospect of a major political defeat as criticism of his hand-picked candidate for President spreads. The candidate, Steffen Heitmann, Minister of Justice in the eastern state of Saxony, was almost unknown when Mr. Kohl nominated him in August. Since then, he has made a series of remarks that have been criticized as insensitive to women, Jews, and foreigners living in Germany.'
'Kohl Faces Rising Storm on Choice for Presidency', By Stephen Kinzer, The New York Times, October 12, 1993

'In mid-September Kohl, having said he wanted Germany's next president to come from the east, threw his weight behind a virtual unknown, Steffen Heitmann, the CDU justice minister from Saxony. The new president, who would replace Richard von Weizsäcker, was to be elected by a special Federal Assembly in May 1994. With some plain speaking about Germany's need to put its past behind it, Kohl's openly conservative candidate rapidly became the focus of national controversy. Although it was a partner in the governing coalition, the centrist FDP refused to support Heitmann and in October nominated its own candidate, Hildegard Hamm-Brücher.
Heitmann withdrew from the race on November 25. Public annoyance with the continued political squabbling was again demonstrated at elections in the city-state of Hamburg on September 19. Support for the main parties again plunged, while a curious protest grouping, the Statt Partei ("Instead Party"), formed just three months previously, won 5.6% of the vote and eight seats. The Greens jumped from 7 to 13%.' 'Government and Politics, Year in Review 1993', 'Encyclopaedia Brittanica Online

'Chancellor Helmut Kohl suffered one of the worst political defeats in his 11 years in office last week when the conservative candidate he had hoped to make the next president of Germany pulled out of the race under fire. Steffen Heitmann, a 49-year-old lawyer for the Protestant Church in East Germany's Communist days, is the Justice Minister of the new state of Saxony. 'Mr. Kohl, impressed by Mr. Heitmann's forthrightness, plucked him out of obscurity because he thought the eastern part of the country, wracked by high unemployment and social problems, would appreciate the gesture.

'But Mr. Heitmann ran afoul of the conventions of West German political discourse. He seemed either bent on causing controversy or prone to putting his foot in his mouth, offending Jews, women, homosexuals, and many other Germans who thought he sounded too much like a right-wing extremist to represent all of them.
'"May something good for our fatherland come out of my withdrawal," he said Thursday, throwing in the towel.' 'Nov 21-27: Bad News for Kohl; A Presidential Candidate Bows Out in Germany', The New York Times, Craig R. Whitney, November 28, 1993

'The denial of the Holocaust is a punishable crime in Germany today. Failing to acknowledge its importance is politically unthinkable too: Steffen Heitmann, the conservatives' intended candidate to be German president last year, was forced to resign his candidacy because he sought to relativise the crimes of Auschwitz, in a newspaper interview.' 'Rows rage on Auschwitz anniversary', The Independent, Steve Crawshaw, 26 January, 1995

'When Steffen Heitmann, Helmut Kohl's original favoured candidate to be German president, suggested in a newspaper interview that Germany should seek to leave its own history behind, he triggered enormous controversy. The comments led directly to the forced withdrawal of Mr Heitmann's candidacy a few weeks later.

'And yet, the comments only slipped into the public domain because of the censors' inefficiency. Mr Heitmann's minders rang the Suddeutsche Zeitung at the last moment, requiring that the passage (which had already been authorised) be dropped. They were too late: the first edition had gone to press. If the crucial phone call had come an hour earlier, Mr Heitmann's remarks would have been airbrushed out of history.'
'Blue pencil spares politicians' blushes', The Independent, Steve Crawshaw, 2 January, 1996

Chancellor Merkel has spoken out against the rising neo-Nazism and racist attacks in her country. However, should a leadership arise that either condones or promotes racial and religious intolerance, Chancellor Merkel's ideal of Europe as a 'continent of tolerance' with a 'soul of tolerance' could soon be forgotten in a nightmare including both racial and religious persecution.



BRITISH DESIRE FOR A REFERENDUM ON EUROPE'S REFORM TREATY

On leaving the EU summit in Brussels in June 2007, Tony Blair stated that Europe is 'an opportunity, not a threat'. This is a view not shared by all British citizens.

In question time during Blair's last Commons address, Sir Nicholas Winterton, Conservative MP stated
'I wish the Prime Minister and his family well for the future, but is he aware that a majority of the people of the United Kingdom feel betrayed by the fact that they are being drawn down further into the suffocating quicksand and expensive bureaucracy of the European Union?

'If he and his successor genuinely believe in trusting the people of this country as they claim, will they now honor their commitment at the last general election to a referendum to enable the people to decide on the new treaty that is in substance the old discredited constitutional treaty?'

Labour failed to deliver on the promised referendum on the EU constitution and new Prime Minister Gordon Brown repeated his determination to avoid holding a referendum on the reformed EU treaty.

In September 2007, according to a report in the Telegraph, former British Prime Minister Lady Margaret Thatcher told Mr Brown that he must not be fooled by assurances from Brussels that the changes to the treaty are 'technical' and the existing opt-outs are sufficient to protect British sovereignty.

'In a newspaper statement last night, Lady Thatcher said: “Yet again the British people are being told that the changes in the Treaty are not important, that they are technical, and that in any case we have either blocked or gained opt-outs in all the worst cases.
“Well, we’ve heard it all before only to see more and more powers grabbed by Brussels.”

Urging British people to hold their government to account, Lady Thatcher continued: “This Treaty is a blueprint for a European Constitution in all but name - a Constitution which has already been rejected. But that’s one little “technicality” the Brussels bureaucrats want us to forget.

“So may I say to the Prime Minister, don’t believe the assurances from Brussels - they gave similar ones to me. It’s not too late to listen and it’s not too late to act. This treaty matters, Prime Minister, so be bold and let the British people have the final say.”

The former Conservative leader’s words strongly echoed a 1988 speech she made as Prime Minister in Bruges, when she sounded the alarm about a “European superstate exercising a new dominance from Brussels”.

The Daily Telegraph’s petition for a referendum has now received more than 100,000 signatures.

Despite mounting pressure for a public vote, however, Mr Brown continues to insist the treaty does not represent a fundamental change in Britain’s relationship with Europe.' 'Thatcher urges Brown to hold EU referendum', Telegraph.co.uk, Laura Clout,1 October, 2007

The Conservative Party has rewritten the Treaty -'The EU Treaty in Plain English' as found at:
http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj_id=137841

''The Conservative pamphlet puts the key points of the Treaty into plain English, so they can be understood at first sight, and people can make their own judgment about whether there should be a referendum.

'So for example, where the official Treaty says that "the constitutional concept, which consisted in repealing all existing Treaties and replacing them with a single text called 'Constitution' is abandoned", the Conservative version stated: "The EU Constitution's name has changed and it is now much harder to understand, but the content has stayed the same."

'While the Treaty says a High Representative will conduct the EU's common foreign and security policy, the Plain English version says: "The EU will have a foreign minister. He will chair foreign ministers' meetings, have his own diplomatic service and will even, under some circumstances, speak for us at the UN Security Council. Our own voice in the world will be less important."

'And while Brussels claims that the usual responsibilities of individual member states will not be undermined, the Real English version warns that guarantees about the independence of Britain's foreign policy are not legally binding, and may be worthless.'

Arriving in Britain after the June G-8 summit, Prime Minister Tony Blair said the West remained 'worried and fearful about what is happening in Russia today, and in its foreign policy', though later in the month, after the meeting of the European Council he said, 'Europe is an opportunity, not a threat'.

However, if and when a rearmed, revitalized Russia aligns itself closer to Europe including to Germany, sharing common military, political, economic and religious goals, Mr Blair's worst fears about Russian foreign policy could be realized because Europe, under a leadership with particular views, has indeed the potential to become a very real threat to the free world. At the same time, Mr Bush's view expressed in June 2007 of Russia not being 'an enemy' or 'a threat', despite visibly growing tensions between the two countries, could prove to be equally wrong.

The trends in Europe, including Germany and Russia, cannot be ignored. To do so would mean America and Britain will be taken by surprise by the emergence of a new and formidable superpower.

America and Britain have been steadily declining in power and prestige in the world as an alliance which will include both Germany and Russia, draws closer together in unity and power, and now does indeed stand on the threshold of speaking with 'one voice' and asserting itself on the world's stage.

Unless the lessons of the past are learned, history repeats itself and can be seen as prophecy for the future. The history and prophecies of the Bible relating to nations, including ancient Israel, illustrate this.

In these uncertain and troubled times, America and Britain, as nations professing to worship the God of the Bible, need to consider the lessons found in the Bible, the Word of the God, and realize that God warned ancient Israel that even though He had blessed them, when they forgot and forsook Him and His Laws and instead turned to worshiping other gods, including idols and customs in their honor, He would progressively remove their blessings, allowing curses to come upon them in order to plead with them to return to Him.

Ancient Israel was told: 'Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: A blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if you will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known.' (Deut 11:26-28)

If they did wholeheartedly change their ways and turned back to Him, God would forgive them and not bring further punishment upon them. But if they still refused to return to Him, He would finally allow them to go into captivity to their enemies. (Lev 26, Deut 28, Deut 30)
However, even in captivity, if and when they acknowledged their sins and turned back to Him, in His mercy, God would deliver them from their captors.

And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you. And shall return unto the Lord your God, and shall obey His voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul; That then the Lord your God will turn your captivity, and have compassion upon you, and will return and gather you from all the nations, where the Lord your God has scattered you. If any of yours be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from there will the Lord your God gather you, and from there will He fetch you. (Deut 30:1-4)

Because God's standards remain the same, the same things provoke Him to execute judgment against nations. Examples are recorded from Genesis to Revelation. (Rev 21:8)

Despite the reassurances of Mr Blair and Mr Bush of Europe and Russia posing no threat, a powerful Europe including Germany as well as Russia, under a future leadership, has the potential to be a very real threat to Britain and America.

As nations, Britain and America are faced with the same sobering choice ancient Israel faced - return to God and obey Him and His Laws or else experience increasing problems resulting in suffering and finally, captivity to their enemies.