Friedman Links Messes in Europe and Mideast

From “Two Worlds Cracking Up,” Thomas Friedman, NYT:

“In Europe, the supranational project did not work, and now, to a degree, Europe is falling back into individual states.  In the Arab world, the national project did not work, so some of the Arab states are falling back onto sects, tribes, regions and clans.

“In Europe, the supranational project did not work because the European states were never ready to cede control over their budgets to a central authority that would ensure a common fiscal policy to back up a common currency.

“In the Arab world, the national project did not work — in many, but not all cases — because the tribes, sects, clans and regional groups that make up these Arab states, whose borders were drawn up by colonial powers, were unwilling or unable to meld genuine national communities.”  Italics in original.

And all timed to determine the outcome of America’s presidential election!