Mark Steyn: Russia is dying and Islamists will grab parts of the carcass

The Australian ^ | October 31, 2005 | Mark Steyn

[jb6]

ping

[jb6]

There are 1 million HIV cases in Russia, and that's according to outside organizations. Secondly, alcoholism by who's standards (not to deny that there is a high real level of alcoholism) but the definition in America is now what? 3 drinks in a row, if I recall correctly, or was it 4? Well ain't that dandy. Go read up on how much the founding fathers drank and tell me by our modern standards that they aren't alcoholics.

[MikefromOhio]

we shall see...

I will see....

[mm77]

aren't you tired to write just bad things about Russia and to be happy when you read any trash article from countless russofob?

[anonymoussierra]

thank you"jb6"
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“This eto fore situation is much controversial; eto problem with new jobs; with new opportunity of young people; fore I can speak off is dim but not pessimistic. There is many work but few of young ones want to work. Russian youngster eto my country young ones me included know well what is going on; fore we have different approach of life. There has to be strong economic changes in our sphere of Eastern Europe. Stupidity of history and bad feelings cloud people understanding and opportunities that is in front of us. We Slavic people just can’t get in agreement of helping each other. Eto in uno pride and arrogance comes in way, Eastern Europe can be power eto fore ambitions and stupidity and hate blocks this. I can write so much you know well, eto fore we are where we have decided ino fore is nowhere. Absolute misunderstanding of facts and history, humanity will run its own way.”
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[mm77]

BRAVO!

Thank you

[elli1]

Explain to me, please, how he has a good grasp. Outside of ignoring a surge in births that has been going on for the past 5 years...

Steyn isn't making this stuff up. Steyn isn't making the predictions. He is citing figures that are 'out there' and have been out there for quite some time. Here's more info (from Rand):

Deaths among working-age males have contributed most to declining life expectancy. A 20-year-old male in Russia now has only a 1 in 2 chance of living to age 60, while one in the United States has a 9 in 10 chance. Russian male life expectancy is now 13 years less than that for Russian females-one of the largest differences by sex in the world. Male life expectancy in Russia is now below that in Guatemala, Indonesia, Iraq, Mexico, Morocco, and the Philippines.

Deaths due to violence, injuries, and other nonnatural causes have contributed heavily to high working-age male mortality. Many of these deaths are alcohol related, and trends in Russian male mortality and alcohol consumption have paralleled each other throughout the past two decades.

Link

Here's another. This one is from 1994.

Climb in Russia's death rate sets off population implosion

Snippet: The decline in Russia's population began in 1991, when deaths exceeded births by 207,000. That year, according to Labor Ministry statistics, fewer than 40 of the country's 79 regional districts registered more deaths than births. But in 1992 the figure was put at 44 districts, and by last year 68 districts were losing population. Today there are only 6 districts in Russia that continue to grow, all with historically high birth rates.

And he didn't 'ignore'--Steyn wrote this: True, there are parts of Russia that are exceptions to these malign trends. Can you guess which regions they are? They start with a "Mu" and end with a "slim".

[mm77]

You should read some artiles not like this and you will esure yourself against stupid posts REMEMBER! 95% of Russia are Cristian's!!! 90% of Russia are Russians!

[elli1]

They are losing their rate of growth in population due to ABORTION

How do you figure Italy--where abortion is illegal & which has a lower fertility rate (1.2) than even Russia (1.4)?

[jb6]

He is citing figures that are 'out there'

The few figures that he does site are usually from the mid to early 90s. (his claim of an African HIV rate is ludicrous and a plain lie, 1 million HIV cases by outside agencies, that's less then 1% vs 30-40% in Africa...yup "real" numbers there)

[jb6]

True, there are parts of Russia that are exceptions to these malign trends. Can you guess which regions they are? They start with a "Mu" and end with a "slim".

Or they are called Moscow (10% of the population), St. Petersburg, Volgagrad, Vladikovkaz, Rostov, Krasnagar, Nizni Novgorad (where Intel and AT&T just openned huge R&D centers that they first closed here in America), Vladivostok, etc. Steyn is full of it.

[jb6]

From your article:

"A decline in life expectancy this dramatic has never happened in the postwar world.

And yet, go check the out there info on CIA World Fact Book, the average life expectancy has been climbing for several years now.

[mm77]

"I just watched a show on National Geographic about Russian women who marry American men and move to America.The women who were interviewed had nothing good to say about Russian men.The Russian men were called drunks,mamma's boys and bums who weren't looking for a wife but someone to take the place of their mother.I was surprised at the number of women who were willing to leave everything behind to marry an American who was usually twenty to twenty five years older than her."

Mostly very poor countryside women without future and education want to marry American men then divorce and getting aliments it's happened everywhere and after that they say ohhh why did we move to USA....

[uscabjd]

Why would Siberia break away, and how would this make Russia better off? Would Siberia become its own country? Lastly, are there parts of Russia that are MAJORITY muslim? Thanks

[mm77]

"I tend to agree. I love Steyn and he is right that many things in Russia are bad and getting worse. But things are simultaneously getting better in other areas. Obviously many Russkies are still in shock over the death of communism and there appears to be a tremendous loss of confidence in their country. But that trend might change as the country gets richer and continues to interact with the western countries. I agree, don't count out Russia yet."

Russian ppl are working and nobody in shock that communism failed I will even tell you that during communism regime ppl were modern and had interesting life's. Listen In Russia we think that if writers like this waked up from the grave to write their BS it is just means that we are leaving batter and We feel it on our life. Many ppl are coming mostly Russians from former Soviet Republics to Russia and in this year Russia got 30 000 coming ppl that isnt big amount but it is the giggest for last years and tendentions are good.

[elli1]

The few figures that he does site are usually from the mid to early 90s.

Not true. October 21, 2005 article posted here at FR:

Link

[mm77]

Yes, things look great compared to what they were, but there is still a feeling of hopelessness among many of the Russian people. THAT is my point. If alcoholism won't kill them, AIDS just might.
Read German press, Russian ppl dropped to drink! OMG You are still on the same place I am now in the USA and I wanna tell you that Russian guys never drink so much in night clubs and girls are not so cheap and awfully drunk :(

[elli1]

his claim of an African HIV rate is ludicrous and a plain lie...

He didn't say that. Steyn said "an African-level AIDS crisis".

From 12/22/04:The HIV epidemic is rising faster in the Russian Federation than anywhere else in the world. New reported diagnoses have almost doubled annually since 1998...

Source

[jb6]

He didn't say that. Steyn said "an African-level AIDS crisis".

And what exctly does that mean if not a level of AIDS like that of Africa...except its not.

[elli1]

October 11, 2005 According to a report, average life expectancy in Russia is now 12 years less than in the United States and other developed countries, and the rate of infant mortality is 1.5-2 times as high.

The average life expectancy for women in Russia is 72.3 years, whereas the figure for men - 58.9 years - is significantly lower.

Source