From: Gene McAloon 

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 11:36:35 +0200, Phil Payne
 wrote:

>> >>You did wrt Germany & Japan & Panama etc.
>> >
>> >
>> > How are those countries doing today?
>> >
>>
>> Germany & Japan are both in recession & I dunno wrt Panama.
>
>Half of Germany was of course occupied by the Soviets.  It seems to be
>doing better today than the other half.

Hardly. That the former East Germany hasn't collapsed entirely is only
because the former West Germans are being taxed to keep it afloat. A policy
increasingly
unpopular in the West. That all too many West German manufacturers are
moving their jobs to East Germany to take advantage of the cheap labor
isn't popular either.

What is even more amusing is that the East Germans are not happy with the
present situation either. No one is happy with it. Instant reunification
was hugely satisfying emotionally, but an equally huge mistake from every
other point of view, as bad a mistake as the instant dismantling of the
Soviet system was for Russia.

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5