Iran's "Rational" Suicide

Dana Mathewson

"Spengler" examines the population demographics in Iran. It isn't a pretty picture. Perhaps this explains some of the otherwise irrational behavior of Ahmadinnerjacket?

http://pjmedia.com/spengler/2012/02/29/irans-rational-suicide/

(For those who may not be familiar with "Spengler," the nom de plume of David P. Goldman, he is one of the towering experts on the Middle East today. His bio on the PJ Media site is amazingly skimpy, which I assume means he prizes his privacy.)

The point of his title here is that Iran has, within one generation, plummeted from a country with a very healthy total fertility rate (children per woman) in 1950 to one with a birthrate so low as to be heading for the dumper. To quote the author, "it has the fastest rate of fertility decline recorded in world history."

And the government is painfully aware of it. In such a situation, "rational behavior" may mean something different to its government than to its neighbors. We do well to be concerned -- as does Israel! But are we concerned? Ask Obama...