The first effects of the falling dollar already appeared: NATO suddenly started to speak european. The Ukraine and Georgia have been told the current expression for forget it in EUese, which sounds "Great! we will surely find the right time to discuss it!". Only it never says when such friendly search is supposed to start. Turkey is listening to this very song since ages, they must have heartily laughed on hearing it repeated in Bucharest, today. So here we are... no bucks, no power. Even the interests of Greece now appear to be stronger than Emperor's Bush's will. 

Only, I still have to see the day in which us europeople will be able to do something else than saying No with a smile. The one yes we said had the awful impact of almost paralyzing the country (are we? well, union, empire, loose collection or whatever else you'd prefer) by flooding it with "eastern enthusiasts" who had no clue whatsoever at the fact that the EU is about "loosing soverreignity". Now it's quite obvious that we will say no very often.

But there is also another reason, and I'm absolutely amused by the lack of sight of basically all local commentators. Politics is money, and in these areas money is energy. The biggest energetic company ever in Europe is GazProm, and GazProm has German people in it's Board. Germans are building the Northern Sea tube that will deliver gas to Europe for Germany, France and I'm beginning to suspect that Italy is part of the game, too. 

Instead of noticing this absolutely obvious datum, Ukranian commentators think that we are frightened by the Russians. Us!? Mind you, we are the descendant of the bloodiest colonizers on earth, there is nothing  that can frighten an european... apart from his wallet. Afraid is the wrong word. When Angela Merkel says that Ukrainians can only blame themselves for being refused she is absolutely sincere. Only it has nothing to do with NATO. As a matter of fact, it has to do with Poland. Nobody is even remotely worried by the idea that Ukranians may become pro-russians. They will not, and even if they did... Byelorussia is standing in line since ages, waiting to be annexed by Moskow. Who is as eager to swallow Minsk as we are to gulp down Tbilisi. Why should they?

In instead, the risk that once in NATO and in the EU Kiev would be easily bought by Polish... is absolutely real. And we have more than enough trouble in removing Polish governments to make sure they shut up. We use banks instead of tanks, sure, but still it is expensive and annoying. Why should you want the Polish oligarchs to increase their political price?

Did you hear anyone pointing his finger in that direction? No... obviously no. Right, it's just my imagination. And it's also just my imagination that in the same moment in which Bush was here to say that it was "NATO or bust" the EU Commission Representative in Kiev declared to the press that "Ukraine may be able to be accepted in the EU before it can step in NATO". When did they say the EU can consider the Ukraine? Ah, yes... in some 50 years... (see http://podrobnosti.com.ua/power/intpol/2008/04/03/511010.html ).

Politicians do not keep secrets. It's just that people read what they hope to read, instead of what's written on the papers.