Europe's fissure along the Rhine is re-appearing

The Charlemagne columnist in The Economist this morning takes up my theme of the failing Elysée Treaty, linked here, although of course, not yet my call for its early demise, although the article comes surprisingly close by quoting General de Gaulle, its French signatory as once saying "treaties are like roses and young girls. They last while they last." 

I watched a military train pass through Angoulême station on Wednesday of this week, with huge guns, armoured vehicles and tanks, all no doubt headed towards Africa, and it brought home to me that France is once again at war. A point hammered home from a link on Twitter leading here; bringing sharply home the reality of France's nuclear dependency.

Such nuclear electricity independence sets France apart from Germany which looks East to Russia for energy security with presumably fond glances towards Poland's coal resources. Britain on the other hand is concerned with the oil exports from the neighbouring giant country of Nigeria in assessing its reaction to events in Algeria, Mali and Niger.

Plus ça change, plus la même chose. I guess!