Quote from Locutus:
In a few years that will be "the past" (and I don't disagree these are problems at this time). Remember, we're thinking about "the future" here.
Also, I'm not saying that Europe is going to be the growth powerhouse of the world, not even close. I'm saying its stocks are undervalued relative to US stocks. I don't really know the Asian or South American markets well enough to make a comparison to those so maybe it's best to invest there. Either way European large caps are as much global enterprises as any other so it doesn't depend on Europe whether those valuations will become less attractive (by becoming higher), it depends on market sentiment.
By the way more old people isn't necessarily a bad thing. They will consume and we've got the productivity and wealth to support them easily. And by we I mean the solvent countries of Europe.
Also, less than 1% of Turkey is in Europe so how you include that I don't know. Russia also has very little to do with Europe.
I think you are an intelligent person, but we have some different viewpoints which is good in my point of view.
1. Older people seem to move to cheaper places (better living conditions, sunny, lower medical costs, cheap maids, etc). So older means more people moving out of europe.
2. The USA has a niche which is internet businesses. Europe niches are being eaten by China (industrial), and India (software). As for arm sales you have new comers such as Brasil, Iran, etc.
3. The only edge I see in Europe is political connections due to UN veto seats and air force military, but that is risky if UN is restructured. You could already see pressures from Brazil, Turkey, and India to change things.
On the military front, France seem to understand they have to bomb to earn later, but they do not seem to understand that the cost may be higher and the earning might be costlier than they think. That is why there is an air involvement in Libya but no ground invasion (to reduce cost of the war, and improve the margin for the booty).
But if Lybian/others understand the game of natural resources, what prevent the enemies from increasing the cost of the natural resources, and make France's bet a losing one?
4. As for Turkey, geographically they are in europe, but as Turkish leader said they are not viewed as europeans because euro zone is a christian club. He is right. The last couple years have seen things change: the debt of Turkey is lower risk than the debt of a number of European countries, when only few years before it was the exact opposite. Lenders are smart people and bet on the future: they give money to those who do not need money, and do not give it to those who need it.