East and West Germany will never re-unite. That is what some young Germans so adamantly insisted to me during our lively political discussions back in the mid-1980s when we volunteered together at a Kibbutz Yifat in the Galilee, northern Israel. If we learn nothing else from history, it is clear that the inevitability of change is inescapable; nothing remains in a constantly fixed state. Through plague, famine and war, Europe has survived centuries of hardship through the Dark Ages, the autocratic rule of Roman Emperors, the cruel, arbitrary, intolerant church proclamations resulting in witch burnings, the Crusades and the like. But Europe has grown and endured to become a model for millions around the world.
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands created the European Coal and Steel Community after the war in order to secure a lasting peace by uniting European nations economically and politically. This evolved into the European Economic Community also known as the Common Market. The European Union has grown over the decades from 6 to 27 member nations with several potential candidates eagerly eyeing membership. Morocco and Turkey have submitted applications to join the European Union. The Israeli government has also expressed interest in the possibility of EU membership. Europe should react wisely to the crumbling dictatorships in North Africa in order to mitigate a potential downward spiral toward chaotic genocide, especially in such close proximity to Europe.
Emperor Constantine was able to enlarge the Roman Empire by incorporating the various, diverse religions of the Mediterranean Basin into the one Sol Invictus cult, thus pacifying those he subjugated; a clever move in light of the circumstances, but today, with our modern technology guided by the cultural neutrality of science, the lure of freedom and democracy is what inspires those who would rather die than live under dictators.
Most of the Eastern Bloc nations are now EU Members, having overthrown dictators like Nicolae Ceauşescu, so integrating Mediterranean Basin nations into an economic and political union with Europe is realistically feasible. I think it is economically wiser if the Europeans would set their sights on absorbing these neighboring states rather than having to deal with the more costly influx of refugees flooding their shores.
As Europeans trend towards green energy, secularism and increased social programs, their southern and eastern Arab neighbors are still grappling with religious fanaticism, but just as Europe did, so will the North Africans outgrow that phase as the Europeans adequately address their protests for basic human rights and employment opportunities. Their thirst for democracy and freedom is undeniable. It would be a relatively normal task to add Arabic, Turkish and Hebrew to the 23 official languages of the European Union. Transmission lines under the Mediterranean Sea could tap solar power from the Sahara to energy-hungry Europe. It is only a few hundred kilometers from North African to Europe. Secretary of State Clinton told Congress that Libya could potentially become a peaceful democracy in the years ahead; I share her optimism.
