From Flanders fields, warnings about Europe’s crisis
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
These closing lines of John McCrae’s poem have haunted many a student of literature. History, too: Voices from the graves in Flanders fields, where “poppies blow/Between the crosses, row by row,” seem to admonish us about the human cost of war McCrae saw 97 years ago, in the tragically misnamed “war to end all wars.”
They are more haunting still for a visitor to the cemeteries in Flanders fields, in the Ardennes, at Normandy. And these are just the American memorials, just a few of them.
“Never again” is the feeling that overcomes a visitor to these gravesites. It is also the mantra that for 55 years has led the peoples of Belgium, France, Germany and beyond to band together and extricate themselves from millennia of war. World War I did not “end all wars” in Western Europe, but economic cooperation, beginning with the free trade of coal and steel in 1957, has. So far.
As another Memorial Day approaches, though, it is with haunting memories that a visitor to those gravesites might look back across the pond, and see creeping reasons for worry.
The first glance is to Greece, whose fiscal profligacy has brought it again to the brink of default and, perhaps, an exit from the euro currency. Bailouts from more sound nations, chiefly Germany, are all that have kept these developments at bay the past 27 months.
Now, there’s anger. The Greeks feel betrayed by their government for agreeing to the bailouts, and resentful of the austerity the Germans demanded in exchange. This month they voted in large numbers against the two centrist parties, and for a collection of radicals, Communists and neo-Nazis who speak with a nationalist tone — anathema to the European Union.
The Germans also feel betrayed: It’s well-documented that Athens lied about its finances when applying to join the euro. And they are resentful of being handed the check after spending a decade getting their own finances in order.
Just as there is the threat of financial contagion spreading from Greece to more consequential economies — Italy, Spain, even France — there is the risk these nations will also point the finger at Berlin. Voters in these countries have already lashed out at their political establishments and are not unfamiliar with nationalism.
History suggests the prospect of an isolated, indignant Germany is not to be relished.
There may also be some inauspicious timing on America’s part. Seventy years of guarding against remilitarization in Europe may wind down as Washington grapples with the realities of its own profligacy and, perhaps, looks to withdraw finally from the theater. A subsequent rearmament in Europe, even if in the name of defense, would seem only natural.
For now, there is reason to believe the worst scenarios can still be avoided. It is a long march from a Greek exit from the euro to a divided, rearmed Europe. And for all the dark clouds on the horizon, many here and there still hear those voices in Flanders fields.
But do not forget that the admonition preceding the warning not to “break faith with us who die” reflects a different sentiment, one that exists yet in human nature:
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you with failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
Even in Flanders fields.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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223 comments Add your comment
Toms Aardvark
May 28th, 2012
1:19 pm
Hopefully Germany/EU will find a way, without doing to much damage to the world economy, to run Greece into the ditch where they belong. Letting that be a lesson to the remaining EuroTrash States. France, Italy, Spain now being the next financial catalyst of hyperflation would do well to pay attention.
The french have always been a arrogant, lazy group of deadheads who believe their rear-ends carry the scent of rose pedals. Shame shame shame, this EuroTrash has been a constant problem with self-hatred and lowest common denominator beliefs. Spain vs France would kindba resemble a boxing match between 2 overblown hamsters with no one even vaguely interested in the outcome.
The US needs to cut and run EU in the ditch asap. It can be done but I wonder if the DC horse behinds have the courage, not to speak of the intelligence. *sigh*
sirwinston
May 28th, 2012
1:43 pm
Right back in the same old place. Done in by big banks; bailed out by the government; promise to help struggling homeowners….only if they can qualify. Look forward we need to stop being dragged in by problems that are made by these big businesses. We are paying to much to live on this place we called Earth. Businesses are trying to force so many things on us as consumers that we really don’t need. I have put these thing into my personal don’ts: Food, by only what you can afford and stay away from fast-food joints, it is not worth going broke for a mere soda or hamburger; cars, we are paying more that we should; all we need is a motor and transmission…the rest of that stuff is a way they add and add all to make the car more. You finance it over 5 or 6 years and it break’s down, you still have to make your montly payments and have it fix when the warranty goes off at a particular timeframe; it is not worth it. Cell phones; trash from the beginning, it make’s everyone think that they really need one. I am like Warren Buffet, I don’t need it why pay a big price for it when I know its won’t last. I love to eat good, therefore, I search for a particular place where they give you more on your plates verse fixing it up where you pay more but get less. That is my personal take on crisis here in America where we as tax payers are looked on as nothing and often time our taxes are raised to pay for this or that. We let the rich contine to be where we should but can’t afford it while they can using the tax dollors we are paying. We need to put our money into Credit uniton verse banks, they gamble up yours and find a way to make it up by charging you more and laughing at us for being such big fools.
grated
May 28th, 2012
3:04 pm
get a load of Luckovich’s depiction of a catholic woman in confession. Too funny.
Rankin Fyle
May 28th, 2012
3:10 pm
Eurotrash?
is that the latest buzzword from the Ayn Rand cultists?
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward--Again)
May 28th, 2012
3:14 pm
P.T. Barnum had something to say about suckers and the “war on women”.
Thogwummpy
May 28th, 2012
4:41 pm
“I am a Socialist.” Direct quote from Adolf Hitler. He was also VERY anti-Capitalist (called Capitalism “Jewish Economics”). Fascism was designed by Mussolini as the “Third Way”…he himself the editor of a Socialist magazine and prominent in the movement, constructed fascism as an intermediate step that would adopt the resources of commerce into use by the state; on a path to a Socialist construct. Ever wanna see a Libtard stammer? Ask ‘em what about fascism was “right wing” (answer, it was only “Right” in comparison to Communism…but fascim functions as center-Left)—and how in the world they reconcile the fact that the Right chooses to limit and restrict government, whereas fascism demands total government. Nazism technically speaking was NOT really Right wing—certainly not conservative; and was widely praised in it’s early days as (and by) Progressive(s).
Michael H. Smith
May 28th, 2012
5:49 pm
Nazism technically speaking was NOT really Right wing.
Nah, you can throw that “technically speaking” crap back on the dung heap as well. NAZI is not a word, it is an acronym, which literally – not technically – spells out The National Socialist German Workers’ Party.
The NAZIS were very much the Socialist but their fire brand of Marxist-Socialism only served a small select few, like those of the “master race”; and the German economy under their rein was controlled with a fascist iron regulatory fist.
NAZIS were anything and everything but part of the politically Republic supporting right of Germany.
The Socialist Democrat liars in this country never will own up to their genocidal authoritarian nature, if they ever do they will be scorned into political irrelevancy.No one would support them. So they continue on denying, attempt to change their true political identity to hide what history will never permit to go untold about them and their past leaders: Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, Hồ Chí Minh, Pol Pot. With a history like that could you blame them for denying their very own political kindred?
MarkV
May 28th, 2012
6:04 pm
The notion that Nazism has anything in common with what we now call socialism, or with Marxism, is one of the insane fantasies of the ignorant right-wingers. Nazis were virulently anti-communist and anti-Marxist. That is an undeniably coumented historical fac.t Neither Nazism nor fascism fit well anywhere in the left-right political spectrum, because they were outside of it.
“how in the world they reconcile the fact that the Right chooses to limit and restrict government, whereas fascism demands total government.”
The above notion shows best the historical ignorance of the author. The “left” and “right” designation originates in the French revolution era, and those (sitting) on the right were the monarchists – hardly the people who wanted to limit and restrict the power of the government – the monarch; just the opposite.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward--Again)
May 28th, 2012
6:17 pm
Socialists, communists, & Democrats: Dirtbags:
—————————–
Greeks Debate Anti-Austerity
Left-Wing Party Vows to Halt Cuts While Staying in the Euro, but Europe Isn’t Bending
ATHENS—Greece’s radical left party has upended the country’s politics with an idea as simple as it is seductive: Athens can renege on the deals it made in exchange for a bailout, and still remain in the euro.
Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras, a 37-year-old former Communist youth activist, promises that despite its dire financial straits, Greece can halt austerity programs, restore social spending and nevertheless continue to receive the payments from the euro zone and the International Monetary Fund that keep it from bankruptcy.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303395604577432291798185530.html?mod=WSJ_GoogleNews&mod=igoogle_wsj_gadgv1
Hillbilly D
May 28th, 2012
6:45 pm
Everybody ought to take a minute from their arguing to remember what today is about. November 11 is for all those who served but today is for those who never made it home. Some probably conservative, some probably liberal, some middle of the roaders and probably a whole lot of them were apolitical, just doing what was asked. They gave everything they had to give.
Dusty
May 28th, 2012
7:07 pm
I really do not see the point of violently arguing about what happened about 75 years ago. Some facts will never change. Hitler was evil and killed millions. Stalin was evil and killed millions. Both men were somehow able to obtain power. Those were terrible times and we don’t forget them but we should not use them as ammunition against people who have nothing to do with it now.
Calling our allies ” EuroTrash” is beyond intelligence or decency. We have fought along side our European friends against enemies with almost all of the larger countries in Europe. Some of them are now having difficulties with their economies. Are we any different? Only in the fact that we borrow money from China.
I hope that both economies will soon improve. Ours & theirs. In the meantime, let us act as partners for progress, not like alley cats fighting and snarling in the moonlight. We are made of better things.
Rafe Hollister- trying to save the Choom Gang
May 28th, 2012
7:56 pm
Hillbilly D
Yes, Hanson gives hitters too good a look at the ball. There is a great deal wrong with his delivery and I hope I’m wrong, and he has a long career, but his mechanics do not appear to serve his arm and shoulder well.
I hope everyone did something today to remember the sacrifice of all our fallen giants. God Bless the USA.
Rafe Hollister- trying to save the Choom Gang
May 28th, 2012
7:58 pm
Hillbilly D
Did you see my post the other day to you about the Hillbilly Firewall?
Hillbilly D
May 28th, 2012
8:31 pm
Rafe
You confused me amswering my Braves question over here.
No, I didn’t see the firewall post.
@@
May 28th, 2012
9:39 pm
Fred:
You miserable asshat Kyle. You use THIS day to push some weird assed political agenda? Not only that but you are so pathetic that you steal the theme from Jay?
Kyle wrote this column on the 25th.
You’re one weird fella, Fred.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 28th, 2012
9:45 pm
I see Fred didn’t take his meds today.
Fred, please read the date under the headline: “4:23 pm May 25, 2012, by Kyle Wingfield”
I suspect an apology to Kyle will NOT be forthcoming . . . ?
Rafe Hollister- trying to save the Choom Gang
May 29th, 2012
8:42 am
Hillbilly
I knew you would see the answer here, afraid it would get lost among the blather elsewhere. You weren’t getting any answers over there.
Fred, KMGrits!
@@
May 29th, 2012
9:11 am
Hopefully Fred will be too embarrassed to return.
schnirt
Kyle Wingfield
May 29th, 2012
9:52 am
Fred: You’re welcome to embarrass yourself with ignorant comments, but the language you used is unacceptable. Try to skirt our language filters again, and you’ll be banned for good.
grated
May 29th, 2012
10:17 am
Jim Cramer said today that he doesn’t understand why the Greek Banks exist. They are nothing but a collection of bad loan portfolios, and a Greek FDIC (which also doesn’t exist) would have ended them years ago.
1961_Xer
May 29th, 2012
10:57 am
Greece got Germany and the European banks to forgive over 70% of their debt…. and then voted in a new government that vowed to reneg on that deal. Europe was willing to write off 70% of the outrageous spending, entitlements, tax cheats of Greece’s last 10 years, and after agreeing, Greece just threw it all back at them demanding… essentially… no payback or austerity at all.
This is not Germany’s fault. This is Greece’s fault. Greece is betting that the EU will not let anyone go, and won’t throw anyone out. They are betting that they can do whatever they want, and the EU will keep them in order to preserve the EU. And what if they are correct? Then we can expect the same shenanigans from the other bailed out countries (Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy). And if Greece’s gamble doesn’t pay off? Well, then they get the austerity that they so hated anyway by becoming an outcast in Europe, left to their own bankrupt devices.
Greece’s best bet, for which they ought to be thankful to Germany, was giving their borrowers a 70% haircut and taking the bailout money. But they still can’t see past not getting their government pensions at age 55.
iggy
May 29th, 2012
11:58 am
For those interested. fb in breakdown mode…$30.03…
Dusty
May 29th, 2012
12:15 pm
Will it never end? Syrian forces came to the farming village of Houla and went from home to home shooting whole families point blank.. 108 people killed including 49 children and 34 women, a blatant massacre of people believed to be against President Assad.
Countries around the world including the USA have expelled Syrian ambassadors and diplomats in protest.
Other plans for more moves against the Syrian government are being planned. No word from Russia, a usual supporter of Syrian President Assad.
Read more on the home page of AJC .com.