Since the CIA is an intelligence gathering institution, that seems like asking "Is Queen Elizabeth British?" or "Is baseball America’s summer pastime?". The CIA doesn’t just spy, though – it also researches public information. Maybe mine, too?

While doing some research for an article in "Gute Nachrichten", I came across this statement on the CIA fact sheet about the future of the European Union: "Failure by member states to ratify the constitution or the inability of newcomer countries to meet euro currency standards might force a loosening of some EU agreements and perhaps lead to several levels of EU participation. These ‘tiers’ might eventually range from an ‘inner’ core of politically integrated countries to a looser ‘outer’ economic association of members."

Wow, that sounds a lot like what I wrote in the conclusion of my article Democratic Dictatorship?.

According to the CIA fact sheet, its comments about the future of the EU are based on "information available as of 1 January, 2004". My article was written in May 2000.

No need for the bighead, though. We have a saying in German: "Eigenlob stinkt!", which translates literally as "Self-praise stinks".

An interesting coincidence, nevertheless.