Edition: U.S. / Global  Reluctant Giant: Germany Balks at
Leading Europeans to Unity  Published: August 1, 1993  Germany's
shoulders, it turns out, are not as broad as either the Germans
or their neighbors thought they were.  Ever since the
unification of Germany in 1990, supporters of European unity,
Germans most of all, have been telling themselves that Germany
would lead the way. Built on the idea of Franco-German
reconciliation, this unified Europe would forge a strategic and
economic partnership with the United States, with the powerful
German economy pulling the rest of Europe to prosperity.  There
were fears, of course, fears that 78 million Germans would
dominate their neighbors economically, monopolize trade with the
formerly Communist countries to the east and throw their weight
around in ways uncomfortably reminiscent of the past.  But if
Germany dominates Europe today, it is by its unexpected
weaknesses rather than by its strength.  This weekend, the
European Monetary System that was to lead to a