Growing Economic Crisis Threatens the Idea of One Europe

We're not the only ones having troubles with our economy - the EU is worried that the economic crisis is going to divide Europe into the west and the east (mainly countries part of the former soviet bloc). The NYT says that this instability has implications for the US who "wants a European Union that can promote common interests in places like Afghanistan and the Middle East with financial and military help". With the EU trying to bail out banks and maintain solidarity among its own members, this may not be a reasonable expectation.