Anthony Browne: Merkel wouldn't be warning about war if we hadn't the €uro in the first place

It is ironic beyond belief that Angela Merkel has raised the prospect of a return to war in Europe if the euro - the EU's grandest projet - fails. Traditionally, over the last half century, European leaders have said not having 'more Europe' will lead to a return to us killing eachother. When Brussels correspondent of the Times, I covered the row over Dutch television adverts using world war two footage to warn Dutch voters what would happen again if they didn't vote for the European constitution in the referendum (the Dutch voters wisely rejected it; British voters never got a say). Yesterday, the German Chancellor in effect told European leaders that it is 'more Europe' (in the form of the failing euro) that is in danger of leading to war. Of course, she is using it as an argument for 'even more Europe' to solve the euro crisis, but the fact is she wouldn't be warning about war if we hadn't had the euro in the first place.

Her rhetoric is hyperbolic, but the situation is serious. I know European officials are worried about the return of military rule in Greece as democratic government fails.