The current debate concerning the role to be played by the United States with respect to the expanding Common Market is in many ways as unreal as the proverbial angels and pinheads. The unreality stems from the fact that the United States has no choice—we are irrevocably committed to our identification with Western Europe.

Despite the level of integration already achieved by the Western European nations, it can still be fashionable in informed circles to minimize the developments which have been leading toward the creation of a United Europe, to say that current plans for unification will come to naught. While it is true that earlier plans failed, there are sound reasons to say that those on the boards now will not.