In his New York Times op-ed entitled "Europe’s Economic Suicide" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/opinion/krugman-europes-economic-suicide.html?_r=1), Paul Krugman predictably takes the position that Europe needs to spend its way out of its current economic malaise:
"Europe has had several years of experience with harsh austerity programs, and the results are exactly what students of history told you would happen: such programs push depressed economies even deeper into depression. And because investors look at the state of a nation’s economy when assessing its ability to repay debt, austerity programs haven’t even worked as a way to reduce borrowing costs.
. . . .
Rather than admit that they’ve been wrong, European leaders seem determined to drive their economy — and their society — off a cliff. And the whole world will pay the price."
Well, I've got news for Paul: Europe is dying a slow death of its own making, and neither spending nor austerity are going to save it.
Do you remember Libya's eccentric dictator, Muammar Qaddafi, responsible for the Lockerbie bombing, who was captured in a roadside drain outside his hometown of Sirte in October 2011, and who was shot to death after first being sodomized by his "Arab Spring" captors? Qaddafi may be dead, but consider his plans for Europe, which are still very much alive. In a speech broadcast by Al Jazeera on April 10, 2006 (http://www.jihadwatch.org/2006/05/qaddafi-europe-and-the-us-should-agree-to-become-islamic-or-declare-war-on-the-muslims.html):
"Some people believe that Muhammad is the prophet of the Arabs or the Muslims alone. This is a mistake. Muhammad is the Prophet of all people. He superseded all previous religions. If Jesus were alive when Muhammad was sent, he would have followed him. All people must be Muslims. . . . We have 50 million Muslims in Europe. There are signs that Allah will grant Islam victory in Europe - without swords, without guns, without conquests. The 50 million Muslims of Europe will turn it into a Muslim continent within a few decades. . . Allah mobilizes the Muslim nation of Turkey and adds it to the European Union. That's another 50 million Muslims. There will be 100 million Muslims in Europe. Albania, which is a Muslim country, has already entered the EU. Fifty percent of its citizens are Muslims."
Europe will be become Muslim in a few decades? Is this merely the deranged prediction of a madman? I don't think so. Consider that according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (http://www.pewforum.org/future-of-the-global-muslim-population-regional-europe.aspx#1):
"The number of Muslims in Europe has grown from 29.6 million in 1990 to 44.1 million in 2010.34 Europe’s Muslim population is projected to exceed 58 million by 2030. Muslims today account for about 6% of Europe’s total population, up from 4.1% in 1990. By 2030, Muslims are expected to make up 8% of Europe’s population."
Also according to this report, Muslims in France, Belgium, Sweden and Austria will comprise some 10% of these countries' populations by 2030, and Muslims in the UK, the Netherlands and Switzerland will amount to some 8%. Needless to say, 10% and 8% are distant from a majority, but these percentages could well be enough to swing elections and influence budgetary planning, particularly when they are growing from year to year.
Will the swelling Muslim population of Europe contribute to this continent's science and industry and adopt its culture and democracy, or will Europe be contending with higher unemployment, swollen welfare rolls and honor killings (see: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/232735/honor-killings-rise-phyllis-chesler)?
You already can guess my thoughts on the matter . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment