Can Europe rise to Obama's challenge?

From time to time it is worth reminding ourselves why 27 European nation states have come together voluntarily to form the partnership that is the European Union.

This is not in order to fulfil a misty-eyed aspiration of some species of ‘greater Europe,' though eventually that may be the outcome; nor has it much to do with a ‘union of peoples,' though given our conflict-ridden history we can forgive our own Founding Fathers that aspiration. No, we have come together for a reason far le...