Mark Steyn: War between America and Europe

The Spectator (U.K.) ^ | 12/27/2001 | Mark Steyn

[Centurion2000]

Definately put me on this ping list please.

[cake_crumb]

A vague memory is running through my head...some religious reference or other about the distruction of Israel heralding Armegeddon...shame the Bible was banned in 1992, along with G_d, or I'd look it up.

[ambrose]

Ping.

[AnnaZ]

A BUMP and a return-to-the-ping-list request.

 

Thanks in advance!

[KJMorgan]

True story. Arabs import all of their skilled labor.

They also surrender faster than the French, which you must admit is a remarkable feat.
Can anyone remember the last time these sheet-heads won a war?

[Carry_Okie]

Where Jews are modern, urban and scientific, Arabs are feudal, rural and romantic. Jews wear homburgs; Arabs wear flowing robes and head-dresses. Jews are famously 'in trade'; Arabs are just as famously hopeless at economic creativity: they have oil, but require foreigners to extract it and refine it. A backward culture that loves dressing up and places no value on professional activity will always appeal to a segment of the English elite.

In general, I support Israel's right to defend itself. That said, this supporting premise is racist tripe. Here in Silicon Valley we have thousands of Arab and Muslim programmers, engineers, scientists, and businesspeople making a real contribution to technology. These people are not dumb, nor are they culturally illiterate. They are in general, better educated than Americans (which isn't saying much). His assertion is condescending garbage.

[Nachum]

BUMP

[knighthawk]

In other words, life in the Middle East may have fired their Islamic fundamentalism, but benefit cheques from the soft West Euro-Canadian welfare states enabled them to pursue their obsession at the taxpayer’s expense. If you’re looking for ‘root causes’ for terrorism, European-sized welfare programmes are a good place to start.

Did I told you people here in Holland mosques are build with money from the government, unlike the buildings of other religions?

[Snuffington]

As the Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson put it, ‘The programme that is developing in Austria is not in line with EU values.’ In the new Europe, the will of the people is subordinate to the will of the Perssons.

Great line! Funny and all too true.

[Argh]

Hiya, cote! I used to imagine more than dinner with Miss Amiel. The picture on the front of her autobiography was astounding.

[Seruzawa]

Steyn is simply brilliant here. Welfare has literally destroyed whole nations, witness the Roman empire and the "corn and games" freebies the emperors gave away. Witness the virtual destruction of the American Indian on the reservations. Witness the insane riots in Los Angeles. People who have to work don't have time for such nonsense.

But the most frightening aspect of this whole scene is the strong possiblilty that Europe will again fall into militarist fascism. They seem to like that sort of philosophy.

It is interesting that the Brits would be so crazy like this. After all it was they who invented these ridiculous non-nations like Afghanistan and Kuwait. If anyone is to blame it's the Brits, not the Jews.

[SoDak]

Very good article!

[MissAmericanPie]

For "compassionate" Liberal/Socialists, the problem is simple, "compassion", is defined, begins, and ends, with their control of the situation, the end of their own noses being it's limit. This is what being an enlightened intellecutal acutally means, "I will protect my elite lifestyle from all threats, preceived or real, from the dirty masses, even if that means that I must throw everyone else's money and lives at the threat."

Isreal is not something that is within their control, it threatens their lifestyle, so it matters little or not at all what is right or wrong to these moral equivocators, "what is safe for me?", is the only thing that registers on their radar screens. If Israel is a threat that might lead to WW3, don't ask WWJD in that situation, that is saved for when you want to attempt to guilt those you hope are ignorant enough not to actually know WJWD, just get rid of Israel if possible.

[backhoe]

a certain type of Englishman looks at an Arab and sees a desert version of his most cherished self-delusions

No just the Brits, more's the pity...

Appreciate the ping!

[cake_crumb]

"Here in Silicon Valley we have thousands of Arab and Muslim programmers, engineers, scientists, and businesspeople making a real contribution to technology"

I support your position that Arabs are not dumb or, in general, culturally backward. However, the Arab and Muslim programmers, engineers, scientists and businesspeople you refer to are in the United States, a free country, and not living in Mideastern Islamic states.

Islamic states are not free, and the flower of creativity and individualism no longer blooms in those countries. If, at some point, an Islamic state decides to turn into one with a representational government, with the same basic freedoms we enjoy in the US, then those countries will progress. Heck, there aren't even public opinion polls about the leaders of these states.

There have been no great achievements in any of those countries in centuries. The reason os not ethnicity or religion. The reason is lack of freedom. It's hard to progress when your leaders keep you ground into the dirt under their bootheel, while hoarding oil money.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

That said, this supporting premise is racist tripe. Here in Silicon Valley we have thousands of Arab and Muslim programmers, engineers, scientists, and businesspeople making a real contribution to technology. These people are not dumb, nor are they culturally illiterate. They are in general, better educated than Americans (which isn't saying much).

The doctors from Arab countries at the hospital I work at are likewise quite good. But you note these people left the Arab nations to make their contribution. I would bet that most got at least their graduate degrees at American (or Canadian) universities.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Please add me to the Steyn Ping List. Thanks.

[rdww]

"Where Jews are modern, urban and scientific, Arabs are feudal, rural and romantic. Jews wear homburgs; Arabs wear flowing robes and head-dresses. Jews are famously 'in trade'; Arabs are just as famously hopeless at economic creativity: they have oil, but require foreigners to extract it and refine it. A backward culture that loves dressing up and places no value on professional activity will always appeal to a segment of the English elite."

Anyone else note that this sounds oddly like the divide between the American North and South that led to the Civil War?