When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them.

Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy, were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts.

Even the draft dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here on our streets, most of them... unless they are breaking Canadian laws .. are getting American dollars from Ma and Pa at home to spend here.

When the franc was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.

Merkel knows EU integration had been driven by the decades-long relationship between Germany and France. But I think the view is shifting. I don't think that Merkel is prepared to wait for France to emerge from its political malaise.

Germany and France are united in their horror over the accident.