All is fair in love and war, and the financial relationship the United States shares with Europe and the U.K. has droves of both.  And the rest, they say, is history. But it is that historical perspective that makes current events so fascinating. And it is the knowledge of history that makes future developments so exciting. And when it comes to what is known collectively as “Western banking” — that is, the framework of regulation under which Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom operate — it appears our counterparts across the pond are one step ahead in planning for the future.