As for the viability of United without Continental, Jeff Smisek is on record as saying that Continental would have gone away without the merger.
He's also on record as saying it is a merger of equals. So, I guess we were both headed toward liquidation.

It never ends does it?
Everyone should read the Arbitrators decision on the Delta/NWA SLI. You can see where both sides had pleaded their case with some of the very same arguments here......and you see how it turned out. Relax...focus on something that you can control.