Posted on 02/13/2011 7:19:10 AM PST by Texas Peartree
With the recent departure of long-term dictators in Tunisia and Egypt, former President George W. Bush's so-called Freedom Agenda has been winning grudging praise, even inadvertently by President Obama. However, that agenda of spreading American-style democracy (think Iraq and Afghanistan) may be missing a bigger opportunity to truly transform the Arab Middle East from backwater to advanced beachhead.
Remember that nations like Algeria were more prosperous than South Korea 50 years ago. Even energy poor nations like Egypt and Tunisia have a core of educated workers and savvy elites who should be on par with a Brazil. For countries like Libya, a small population and enormous energy reserves should allow it to be much more advanced than a place like Malaysia. Alas, it does not work out that way. Lack of freedom is a key missing ingredient.
So what would a true freedom agenda look like? What could America do to encourage the Arab Middle East to become civilized and less of a threat to the world?
First, we must encourage the ongoing collapse of the Arab world's fertility rate. Across the board, their Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen dramatically within a few generations. In the Tunisia of 1960, their fertility rate was such that the average woman had seven children in her lifetime. By 2005, they were having only 1.9 children per woman’s lifetime. By 2015, it will be less than 1.4 children per woman, well below a population’s replacement levels of 2.1 children per woman. Thus, over time their population will age, moderate and mature. You do not see a lot of 50 year old terrorists. Furthermore, a smaller population reaching maturity each year would make it easier to find gainful employment for more young...
(Excerpt) Read more at corybirenbaum.blogspot.com ...
Why not just post it here?
The notion that “Obama” and “Freedom” could be used in the same sentence is patently absurd!
Oh, dear....how uncivil of me.
Communism never can exist without a Police State to enforce it.
Doesn't know how.
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