Conflicting headlines proving the World has gone MAD

Six years ago this Thursday (Thanksgiving Day in the USA) the New York Times (linked here) reported as follows: +++++ France and Germany Given More Time to Curb Deficits By MARK LANDLER and PAUL MELLER; Mark Landler reported for this article from Frankfurt and Paul Meller from Brussels. Published: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 Europe's finance ministers have agreed to suspend the fiscal rules that underpin the euro, eliciting sighs of relief from France and Germany, but driving a wedge through the 12-member monetary union and raising fears about the stability of the single currency. +++++ Now we have credit rating agencies warning on the French deficit, read here, with newly planned loans rising above 10 per cent of GDP and the French Finance Minister reportedly stating in face of German complaints "We ar not Germans". And the Euro is a success??