[iOqedeyH]

This is not some utopian dream. Only the French consider themselfes as a great european power. This self confidence America should encourage. In the breast of every french citizen is a potential General De Gaulle. France has been difficult at times, but there really a great friend of American and we should support a french effort to replace america as a regional power.

Leaving aside the question of french national pride and also that France only recently has rejoined NATO after de Gaulles "policy of the empty chair", when has France made such a claim ?
I also want to hint at the efforts to build a european army, led by France AND Germany ( to mention just one of the countries that also might have a say in this). I also want to point to Europes political architecture that makes it impossible for one country to "assume" leadership.......
And lastly France is neither the largest european economy nor the most populous country nor the largest military force.