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Steyn is always brilliant. Anyway his conclusions are only half true if we talk about Germany. The reason for this is that he predicts that all immigration into my country is islamic. This is definitly wrong. In the meantime only a very limited number of Turks or other muslims is flowing into Germany. Most of them through marriages.

Since the beginning 80ties we have growing immigration rates from eastern Europe. Former Russians, Ukrainians and Poles with German heritage (so called Spätaussiedler) are mixing into our population. A interesting graphic:

Although it is true that the Turks have a much bigger offspring than the average German, you should not forget that over the time the young Turks adopt the western style of living. It is very unlikely that they start a broad jihad against other Germans.

Furthermore political power is a question of education and know-how. All those immigrants who are a problem seem to be trapped in the lower class of the society. Maybe they can start some riots, but they will never be able to topple our system. BTW - most of them do not want to do this anyway since they would destroy their own livelihood in this case.

Espechially in the UK things are more dangerous due to the numberous moslems from Pakistan. There is a simular situation in France with their north Africans. These guys are gung ho to spread their religion with all means. But - until now those idiots weren't even able to do some effective terrorism in Europe. Maybe you know that it is extremely easy to cause really a lot of trouble in a civil society as long as you act intelligent. Until now there was only one really massive blow to western civilisation: 9/11. This is a good indicator to their collective incompetence. The background for their intellectual failure is also clear to me: Somebody who believes in their interpretation of the Koran and into their form of Islam anyway must be a complete moron.

Of course we have to be careful and we have to steer against dangerous developments. Believe it or not - the German "Verfassungsschutz" is quite effective in dealing with islamist scum. On the other hand there is no reason for panic. Things are under control and they will stay under control.

I must say that a strong Germany would give me hope, but could Germany Stand alone if everything went south for your neighbors plus half the problem internally that Steyn describes?

BTW - most of them do not want to do this anyway since they would destroy their own livelihood in this case.

Careful with this. This is what the intel community calls mirror imaging. You are applying your ways of thinking to others. It is also why the Democrats in this county keep losing elections.

Something to think about. Durring the American Revolution roughly 1/3 wanted to break from England. 1/3 didn’t care and 1/3 were loyal to England. We are were we are today because that first 3rd were willing to fight and die for it (We also had some great help and training from a German officer). History has also downplayed our Founders God Fearing Faith, but it was a big component in the Equation. With the advent of modern weapons, fewer people are needed to wreak havoc. I have faith in the Germans ability to land crushing blows to internal enemies if need be. But when this terns into an internal attrition war, I have far les faith.

Turks adopt the western style of living. It is very unlikely that they start a broad jihad against other Germans.

These would be the 1/3 that don't care and won't help you.

Maybe they can start some riots, but they will never be able to topple our system.

Perhaps not today, but numbers, time, and willingness to get ones hands bloody tips the scales to their favor.

I do hope/prey that I am wrong, and would love you to convince me that I am.

Germany indeed does not seem to be in the quite the same danger as, say, France, the low countries, Spain or even Britain. Turks do seem more assimilable. And you do have all the ethnic Germans from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe immigrating as well.

So the Steyniacs would be well advised not to lump all of Western Europe into one basket. The situation is worse in some places than others.

And yet...

There's no question that Western Europe is facing a real demographic crisis. The numbers speak for themselves.

Not a single country has a Total Fertility Rate at replacement level. Some, in fact, are at about half of that - Spain and Italy being the worst off. In other words in the latter countries, each generation is not much more than half the size of the one before it. There are muslim majority populations now in at least a few major Dutch and Belgian cities. Obviously such a state of affairs, if it continues, will have serious conserquences down the road.

And it is not unreasonable to argue that this demographic crisis is tied to what this article speaks of - the loss of faith across much of Western Europe.

But across the Pond we have little reason to be smug. The same trends are at work here, especially in Canada, whose demographics and religious observance are almost indistinguishable from much of Europe. American TFR hovers just under replacement level, which is better than anything in Europe but nothing to write home about. The difference, however, is that most of our immigrants are Christians (at least culturally) from Latin America, and thus far more assimilable than Muslims from the Africa or the Middle East - even Turks, I daresay. We also have a largr population, making it easier (but not without difficulty) to absorb large numbers of immigrants.

So there might be some exaggeration over here. But however you slice it, most of Western Europe faces a serious demographic and societal crisis - even if Germany is in better shape than many of its neighbors.