| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| Is “Old Europe” Doomed? |
| 2006-02-07 |
| Apocalyptic thought is curiously pleasurable. Doom is too strong a word, in my view; I think it would be more accurate to say that Europe is sleepwalking to further relative decline. But we should also modestly remember that the future is, ultimately, unknowable. Maybe Europe is waking up just a little -- tugging the covers over an exposed shoulder and pulling the pillow over its head while mumbling to the rest of us to put out the light. It does seem to be dawning on an awful lot of folks there that they are in danger of losing their freedoms and entitlements. What worries me is that they seem much more concerned with the entitlements than the freedoms. Aside from the silly, pro forma French demonstrations and strikes, has anyone ever truly fought for an entitlement? |
| Posted by:11A5S |
| #10 Doomed. Sliding toward oblivion for the last 100 years. Proof that the man's nature is not "freedom" if given the choice. |
| Posted by: Master of Obvious 2006-02-07 17:59 |
| #9 Damn, Nimble - the last thing we need is more welfare state professional victims for the Democrats! Make 'em a territory like Guam so at least they can't screw up our elections and with it one of the few functioning countries left in this world. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-02-07 14:07 |
| #8 Statehood would not be the worst thing that could happen to the European states. Better than dhimmitude. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-02-07 11:37 |
| #7 Why should Western Europe do anything? They Know America will come to their rescue as we have in the past. If it comes to that, the continent becomes an American suzerain, pending installation of democracy, and all nuclear weapons should be confiscated (or used in a timely manner). |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-02-07 11:20 |
| #6 They Know America will come to their rescue as we have in the past. In reality there is very little we can do to help them. We may help with Iran and other outside forces - but their biggest problems are internal. |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-02-07 10:52 |
| #5 Europe is also a sleeping giant. Islam will kick and kick and eventually that giant will stir. When that giant lashes out the Sons of Mohammad will be thrown from the continent, smashed in their caves, and then Europe will sulk for decades at what they did. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2006-02-07 10:37 |
| #4 Wanna bet you life on it, I personaly think the "Baseball Rule" applies here, three strikes, and you're out. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2006-02-07 08:38 |
| #3 Why should Western Europe do anything? They Know America will come to their rescue as we have in the past. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2006-02-07 07:58 |
#2 My favorite excerpt is the auther's reference to a certain kind of intelligence, available only to those who have undergone a lot of formal education, not to be able to work it out. Dalrymple's point of view on the decline of western Europe is quite different from Spengler's, but they complement each other well. |
| Posted by: Crairong Omomotch6492 2006-02-07 02:17 |
| #1 Old Europe is certainly doomed. Whether or not a new Europe can emerge in time to save itself from sharia hell is unknown. |
| Posted by: Glains Unorong5120 2006-02-07 01:13 |