An Opposing View on the Eurabian Future

Ralph Peters, a retired Army officer and columnist, has written a piece challenging the notion that European demographic, political, and cultural trends will inevitably lead to "Eurabia," a continent dominated by its Muslim immigrants. Here's the gist of his argument:

THE historical patterns are clear: When Europeans feel sufficiently threatened - even when the threat's concocted nonsense - they don't just react, they over-react with stunning ferocity. One of their more-humane (and frequently employed) techniques has been ethnic cleansing.

[...]

Sound impossible? Have the Europeans become too soft for that sort of thing? Has narcotic socialism destroyed their ability to hate? Is their atheism a prelude to total surrender to faith-intoxicated Muslim jihadis?

The answer to all of the above questions is a booming "No!" The Europeans have enjoyed a comfy ride for the last 60 years - but the very fact that they don't want it to stop increases their rage and sense of being besieged by Muslim minorities they've long refused to assimilate (and which no longer want to assimilate).

Well, I suppose this alternate future is possible. But at the root of the Eurabian scenario is a very ahistorical trend: Europeans just aren't having any more babies. In all of recorded history, we've never seen an entire culture commit demographic suicide. In light of such a severe break with history -- not to mention human nature -- I'm not sure how compelling appeals to European history are.

Via National Review's Corner.