What I find irronic, is that Americans themselves maybe the very last to realise when they’ve been overtaken, and quite likely by more than one world entity. The good news being that if the US can get through this era of fatefull, inexorable, and self expidited decline intact, “the average schmuck,” from NJ, to Bejing, might actually end up far better off for that.

Maximillian

The demographic numbers look funny. Not sure where the 0.66 for Iran is. Neither the UN or CIA numbers are anywhere near that (CIA is 1.71, UN 2.04). This has also been a deliberate Gov’t policy, by increasing family planning and contraception over the last 10 years or so.

From wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_planning_in_Iran

“In 1993, Iran dropped certain maternity benefits for couples who had more than three children. According to the BBC, Iran is believed to be the only country where men and women are required to attend classes about contraception before they can obtain a marriage license.
In addition, Iran has made both condoms and contraceptive pills widely available. Contraceptive pills are available at pharmacies across Iran, and the government gives away condoms at health clinics around the country.”

Another (and more logical) interpretation would be that they are trying to get their population down to maintain a decent standard of living when the oil runs out.

The neo-crazies are really trying to talk up the militaristic, expansionist Iran spin. Trouble is that there is not a shred of evidence supporting it. If they were really like that then:

- Their armed forces would be very much larger. Turkey would smash them to bits, let alone nuclear armed Pakistan.
- They would by trying to increase their population, not reduce it.
- The US would already have a carrier group at the bottom of the Persian Gulf.
- The US would be negotiating with Iran to get its captured 150,000 soldiers in Iraq back.

Doesn’t add up.