_ If you were a Martian you might think that the narration I’m reading in The Duel about the summer of 1940 is taking place right now in 2011 in the EU. Germany is lawing down the law for the rest of Europe. They are setting the standard and are insisting that everybody else conform — or else.

But instead of the Third Reich we have the Euro Zone and the EU. And what is happening is that Germany has bribed France to go along with its insistence on treaty changes to give it more power. How did it bribe France? All along France wanted Germany to agree to issue Eurobonds. Germany has now agreed to do so only if France agrees to the treaty changes.

Germany knows that certain countries like Ireland, Greece, and Portugal probably won’t go along. And even if all the Euro Zone countries did, it would take over one year. The markets won’t wait that long. So Sarkozy and Merkel are planning a summit in early December to announce a treaty signed by 8 to 10 of the member states of the EU. Everyone else won’t get to vote on it. But if they don’t conform to the new rules, they will be out of the Euro Zone.

There’s no democracy here. But before Americans object, remember that the Fed isn’t elected either. And there always will be an unwritten Italian exception. No doubt Italy will sign the treaty, but then won’t do everything it’s supposed to do. And no one will kick Italy out of the Euro Zone. It’s just too European.