1 : Enlightening, isn’t it? Well, think of it that way: This week’s edition of “Die Zeit” features an interview with Samuel Huntington (reminder: “Clash of Civilisations”). Huntington basically states that a relatively young demographic structure is a necessary, albeit not sufficient condition for countries to be aggressive. Older people usually sit in comfortable chairs and don’t fight against each other.

He makes that point using the example of 19th century Europe’s demographic shifts and the subsequent wars in the first part of the 20th century. It’s a theory – and I can tink of the situations to which he probably refers, eg India vs Pakistan: Very young countries, and also countries with way too many guys without girls – a consequence of the abortion rate and infanticide of girls – looking for ways to prove themselves outside a relationship. That is certainly a useful resource for troublemakers of all kind – and probably what Huntington is thinking about. But…

+1 : Last week’s edition of “The Economist” was about the apparent “demographic miracle” happening in the US. As opposed to pretty much all other industrialised countries have the US succeeded in reversing the ageing trend and can boast an increasing birth rate. So…

=2 ?: Take Huntington and the US birthrates, put it together and you can come up with all sorts of ideas what the underlying reasons for the urgent need to fight yet another war actually are…