The Mediterranean is in the news. Mare nostrum is in growing trouble. Thousands upon thousands of Africans are trying to get to Europe by whatever means, and quite a number of them end up drowning in the attempt. Many an international organization dealing with the mess is now shaming the European Union into action. What to do with so many immigrants, though? Nobody in the so-called cradle of civilization wants them, anyhow. As ever, the problem could have been solved if Europeans had the brains to figure it out early enough. Say, immediately after World War II. Northern Africa could have been developed with the future in mind. It could have been integrated into the European subcontinent just as it was in Roman times. Over intervening seventy years, much could have been accomplished. By now, Northern Africa would have been able to shelter other Africans looking for a new home. Sadly, nobody in Europe had such a vision at the time, let alone the will and power to make it come true. The best the European Union can do at this point is to build thousands of refugee camps that are destined to become the stinking shame of the subcontinent. Add climate change, and the mess will be amazing to behold. The cradle of civilization, my ass!