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There is friendship between states. States do symbolic acts for some states, which they do not do for others. Germany hates getting involved in wars, but when t

There is friendship between states. States do symbolic acts for some states, which they do not do for others. Germany hates getting involved in wars, but when the US (Afghanistan) or France (Syria) get attacked, it joins (symbolically) regardless of the NATO definition of attack. There is a long tradition of friendships between France and German leaders [0]. Of course all of this is partly because they are dependent on each other, but I think there is no clear distinction here. To your second point: I would argue that France and Germany have more to win of of a hard line here. Yeah, the auto industry will tank, but as this very article shows, there are many sectors in which Britain might lose to the other big nations. We should definitely take our slice of that financial industry pie. We want to avoid an avalanche of exceptions for other countries so let's not start giving them out too easily. We want to keep the club together. And final argument: At least Germany or France are not at risk of losing half of their federal states. Exciting times. Would be a really strange and random reason after all this years of violence for a more united Ireland. [0]: http://media0.faz.net/ppmedia/aktuell/feuilleton/3725638940/1.861942/article_multimedia_overview/22-september-1984-kohl-und.jpg http://media0.faz.net/ppmedia/aktuell/feuilleton/3725638940/...

marcoperaza 10y ago
Shared interests can look a lot like friendship. Looking at the postwar period as evidence of friendships between Western European powers doesn't help your point. They were and are unified by strong common interests and common enemies. Economic integration and cultural similarities also lead to common interests. Any conflicts they do have stay below the level of military conflict due to the overwhelming force of American troops keeping peace on the continent, and nuclear deterrents. Before the Cold War, Europeans had been slaughtering each other for centuries, for millennia.
- allendoerfer 10y ago
  Of course some a common enemy and a possible nuclear winter let you think twice about the next war, but Germany and France have shared interests with a lot of other countries, too, with whom pictures like this do not exist. I think I found almost all my friends through common interests and in times of piece, for which we ourselves had done very little (while I do not share your point that this is only because 'murica). Does not mean that they are not my friends.

marcoperaza 10y ago

Shared interests can look a lot like friendship. Looking at the postwar period as evidence of friendships between Western European powers doesn't help your point. They were and are unified by strong common interests and common enemies. Economic integration and cultural similarities also lead to common interests. Any conflicts they do have stay below the level of military conflict due to the overwhelming force of American troops keeping peace on the continent, and nuclear deterrents. Before the Cold War, Europeans had been slaughtering each other for centuries, for millennia.

allendoerfer 10y ago
Of course some a common enemy and a possible nuclear winter let you think twice about the next war, but Germany and France have shared interests with a lot of other countries, too, with whom pictures like this do not exist. I think I found almost all my friends through common interests and in times of piece, for which we ourselves had done very little (while I do not share your point that this is only because 'murica). Does not mean that they are not my friends.