While most people on the Continent itself are either enthused about the prospect of further European integration or at least willing to let it happen, many in the United Kingdom are skeptical, even fearful, of further European unity. Britons have long held an ambivalent attitude toward Europe. Some are Europhiles and others Europhobes, with not too many Britons sitting on the fence.

For most of the last 450 years after the Protestant Reformation, the British have seen their security and future as lying beyond the seas, away from Europe. They have held to a determination to stay out of European affairs unless a nation on the Continent threatened the peace and balance of power in the region (such as France under Napoleon and Germany under the second and third German reichs).

This started to change in the 20th century, as becomes obvious when one compares the international interests of Britain's monarchs during the last 100 years. King Edward VII (1901-10) concentrated on building European ties while his mother, Queen Victoria, made the empire her main focus of attention.

Edward's son King George V (1910-36) again concentrated on the empire, as did his successor, King George VI (1936-52). Queen Elizabeth II began her reign in 1952 with the empire and Commonwealth her main focus, but Europe has become increasingly important since Britain entered the European Common Market (the predecessor of the EU) almost 30 years ago.

Some in Britain are committed to the idea of a united Europe. They have had the upper hand for the last three decades. But others are at best skeptical of European union and increasingly hostile to it. They see the EU as a threat to Britain's independence and way of life and are waking up to the full implications of EU membership-loss of financial independence followed by loss of sovereignty.

The creation of the Rapid Reaction Force and the future of the euro are the two major concerns for those opposed to the idea of a European superstate. One could end Britain's close military alliance with the United States, which has been the foundation of Britain's defenses since the end of its empire. The other would remove Britain's control over its own finances, effectively transferring control of its economy to foreign powers-ironically the very powers Britain has fought the most in the last 300 years. GN