No thanks to Europe
Sir: I am increasingly astonished by the EU's success in persuading commentators to ascribe to it achievements with which it had nothing to do.
For instance, Bruce Anderson in his oth-
erwise excellent piece on the EU ministers' meeting in Florence (Politics, 22 June) credited the organisation with the rebuild- ing of the shattered economies of European countries after the war and of banishing the fear of future wars between member states. Of course, it was the Organisation for European Economic Development, based in Paris, that was responsible for using American Marshall Plan aid to achieve the former; all the EU has done since is to raise prices and unemployment, not to mention its squandering of its member nations' contributions.
As for future wars between European nations, just as it was Nato, with American memberphip, that protected Europe during the Cold War, which (aided chiefly by the United Kingdom) it won, so it is Nato, again with United States membership, that will ensure that European member states will not go to war with each other again; left to themselves and the EU, they might well do so.
W.B. Hesmondhalgh
17 South Eaton Place, London SW1
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