“the highest rate in a western first-world country (= similar culture base) that isn't the US is Israel at 2.1, less than half the US.” And since Israel is in

“the highest rate in a western first-world country (= similar culture base) that isn't the US is Israel at 2.1, less than half the US.” And since Israel is in the middle of a civil war, those numbers can be easily explained. More curious is Finland, a western first-world country, which has the same homicide rate as Israel (per your link.)