Great piece by Andrew on the implications of the draft European Constitution, another building block in creating a centralized European nation state dominated by France and Germany. The article focuses on the way Paris and Berlin are able to dominate this process as well as the longer-term impact on US – Europe relations. All of this is reason for grave concern but in most European countries (the UK of course excluded) there is still is no real debate about ceding sovereignty to a higher entity in Brussels. On the one hand this is a direct result of the complacency of the average European citizen, but it is also closely linked to the arrogance and unwillingness of government leaders to invite citizens into this important process. It is asymmetrical as well, some countries have held referenda on the new currency, the Euro, while others haven’t and some are willing to call a plebiscite about the draft constitution as currently tabled while others aren’t. More on this on Peaktalk going forward as this process is one of historic proportions and will it undoubtedly lead to a revised power balance in the world. At the same time it is reason for apprehension as basic freedoms, democracy and sovereign destiny will slowly disappear. They will be replaced by a centralized, top-down, bureaucracy dominated by the two nations that are now trying to achieve peacefully what eluded them militarily: a European Empire.