Surprise, surprise -- nobody was surprised. In fact, Radio Free Europe is reporting France and Germany were expecting the summit talks to collapse. The report says:

That Germany and France may have planned for failure is suggested by the fact that they unveiled plans to forge ahead with a "core group" as soon as news broke that the summit had collapsed (Read about it here).

Hummmm ...they already had their plans for a core group ready. And Silvio Berlusconi, the EU president, besides accused of being poorly prepared is said to have joked his way through this important summit (Read about it here).

What does it all mean? For one thing, it looks like this all could have been planned. And for another, it means we're going to have that "two-speed Europe" everybody is warning against. But, I think it's going to be more like a ten-speed Europe. I say this because of the nations mentioned who may be in this core group. The first report says:

Apart from the EU's six founding members (Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), Greece and Hungary were also said to have expressed interest.

If you've been following my commentaries, you know I've been watching for Greece to be added to this mix of nations (What Herb thinks 12-13-03). That's because Greece, like the other nations in the above list, are all members of Javier Solana's 10 nation WEU military alliance -- all except Hungary. In other words, we find here seven nations from Solana's 10 nation alliance.

Now let's put this together. Back in July 2000 we saw Solana and the French EU presidency install the 10-nation WEU alliance into the Council of Europe. That same month we saw the Council approve the infamous Solana Decision that placed all EU military documents out of public view. Then, at the Nice summit held at the end of the French presidency, we saw the weighted voting system adopted giving the 10 WEU nations the majority vote in the Council.

Now let's fast forward to this December EU summit where the super EU's constitution was to be approved. Instead, the talks collapsed without the constitution's approval. Why? Because an agreement couldn't be reached to change the weighted voting system. And, this leaves the 10 WEU nations with the majority vote. Surprise, surprise.

Yet there's more: As soon as the talks collapse, we find Germany and France ready with their plans for a core defense group of nations. And evidently, their core group will be made up of seven nations from Solana's 10 WEU nations. Once again, surprise, surprise.

How about Hungary? Hungary is not a member of the WEU alliance. So, I don't think Hungary will be included in this core defense group. But even if it is included, it still would be just seven from the WEU alliance. And the WEU is Solana's all important connection to NATO.

What about the three WEU nations -- Britain, Spain and Portugal -- who are missing from this core of seven? Perhaps they'll come around later. Or, maybe other nations will take their place. After all, the Bible doesn't describe either a two-speed, or a seven-speed Europe.

It describes a ten-speed Europe -- with three kings being subdued (Daniel 7:24).

Is this what's happening?

Stay tuned!