[current brinkmanship] we're not ready yet, says europe

The Asia Times says:

European NATO members are increasingly nervous about the prospect of a military confrontation with Russia. Last August's swift Russian response to act in aid of South Ossetians against the Georgian invasion sent a reality shock through Europe.

Neither Germany nor France wish to admit unstable states like Georgia or Ukraine only to be forced to act militarily in their defense in event of a repeat of the madness of last August.

Much is made of the rusting Russian navy and the depleted army but Russia's strength has always been in numbers, as with China. Not just in numbers either but in a fanaticism which would be lacking in the "away" players. For what strategic purpose would Europe wish to anatagonize the north-east border state over rogue leaders in Georgia and the Ukraine? You can throw Belarussia into that too.

And don't forget a mobile China who have the super-highway to reach the sub-continent plus a friendly neighbour to the north.

As for Europe, the EU state still has a few teething problems e.g. Ireland and the Milliband/Merkel army won't be ready for at least half a decade, except as a sabre-rattling exercise. Of course, a split in NATO would give the EU the green light to proceed full tilt with this.

So what is America's game here? In their brinkmanship with Russia, aren't they forgetting Europe's own grand design?

As far as we're concerned, we're still only entering the great depression and history dictates that it always takes a few years for the seeds of discord and the demoralization of the people to be achieved. At the moment, too many are still hopeful for an upturn of the economy and not everyone is yet sucking on the subsistence teat of the nanny state.

2009 might even see the best laid plans of the inner circle overturned and the whole show postponed for yet another generation. Humans can be so unpredictable at times.