It sets a powerful European elite against the old Greek enemy - chaos.
Today, they have an up-and-coming manager, rather than a member of the European elite, and are looking at a seventh-place finish.
The central point made by Mr Lieven's witty and impeccably scholarly book is that Russia owed its victory not to the courage of its national spirit or to the coldness of the 1812 winter, as some French sources have argued, but to its military excellence, superior cavalry, the high standards of Russia's diplomatic and intelligence services and the quality of its European elite.
Romania's internal dispute has divided the European political elite, with some social democrats leaping to Mr Ponta's defence, while conservatives react with alarm.
The big money in international soccer is concentrated on the elite European clubs, but some of them are also suffering serious losses.
Economic liberalisation has created an elite of European teams now literally in a league of their own the Champions League.
And the Belgium international, who has impressed during his debut campaign at White Hart Lane, believes Bale is key to his club's chances of challenging the elite of European football.
It is an elite gathering of European economists and business leaders, and for two days they have just one item on the agenda: The state of the global economy.
Republicans, meanwhile, consider high-speed rail the physical embodiment of runaway spending, imposed from Washington by an out-of-touch elite despite its whiff of European socialism.
Numerous other European banks have attempted to break into Wall Street's elite ranks, only to slink away years later.
It is clear that a solution imposed by the political elite will not be accepted something crafted by a European-wide town meeting over the web might be.
The white churches include all the mainstream denominations, but they suffer from what might be called a European problem: they are haemorrhaging members and are run by an unrepresentative elite that is far to the left of the people in the pews.
Now celebrating its 57th year, Brafa opened last week with its customary three days of previews for the elite, beginning with a gala dinner on the 18th attended largely by European nobles, with larger events the following two nights.
Swift says that European brands like Azimut and Sunseeker have "made a killing" in China as the country's elite discovers the pleasures of messing about on boats.
CNN: Made-in-China superyachts reflect changing tide of economy
Greek sports programs have been hobbled by budget slashing, but other European countries in the throes of austerity, such as Ireland and Portugal, have been more protective of elite sports budgets ahead of the Games this month.
"What comes through powerfully in the film is their sense that the best they can do is create some political space for others, the political elite, to step in to do what must be done, " remarked Daniel Levy of the European Council of Foreign Policy, who's had extensive experience in Israeli-Palestinian peace-making.
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