The Disease of Appeasement

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." - George Santayana

When will the French, Russians and the rest of Europe learn? Do they honestly believe that you can negotiate in good faith with the likes of the Islamic Fascists within the Iranian regime? Exactly how dumb do you have to be to swallow this idiotic logic?

What on Earth is there to "talk about"? What further "dialogue" is needed? Didn't we all agree on what the next step was to be in U.N. Resolution 1696? Don't these guys understand that the Iranians are playing them like a "cheap fiddle"?

There may be many things about the Arab world that Western culture doesn't understand, but one thing is very clear. They see appeasement and endless negotiation for what it is; WEAKNESS! The only thing that they understand and respect is STRENGTH.

Appeasement brought about the second World War. Some say that we're already embroiled in the third World War. This war is much different from previous wars, but the reasons for finding ourselves in this situation are as old as time itself. The reasons never change, just the players.

We've seen the likes of those in the Iranian leadership before. They're no different than the fascists of the last century, complete with their anti-Semitic rhetoric and they're prophecies of death and annihilation. Why can't those who paid the biggest price in the last World War not see the TRUE nature of our enemy? This enemy is an enemy to all peace loving, freedom loving nations of the Earth. They are not just OUR enemy.

There are three major reasons for the way the Europeans view the world. I think the first reason lies deep within their psychological makeup. Perhaps the scars of war run so deep on the European continent that they're willing to do almost anything to avoid another such war. What they fail to realize of course, is that appeasement in and of itself is the surest way to relive the horrors of war. Ronald Reagan had it right with his "Peace Through Strength" philosophy. The Europeans would do well to adopt this way of thinking, but I won't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

The second reason is far less complex, but much more sinister. It's nothing more than politics. Because the Bush administration has taken a strong, aggressive stance in dealing with the enemy, they simply revert to a contrarian approach, to capitalize on the current anti-American sentiment throughout Europe. It's a good way to win elections in this day and time if you're a politician in Europe.

The third and last reason is the most "practical" of all. Many European nations have experienced a huge influx of Muslims into their countries over the past several decades. Many of whom have NOT assimilated into their culture and have therefore contributed to their own impoverishment. This has produced a vast breeding ground for resentment, which in turn has laid the foundation for Islamic fundamentalism. The Europeans are just beginning to recognize this and to put it bluntly, they are scared to death to do anything that might upset this radical demographic, thus feeding the appeasement cycle.

I know this will not happen, but I wish that the Bush Administration would get off the band wagon of appeasement NOW, not later. For I fear that if we wait too late to call Iran's bluff, it will be a mistake of enormous magnitude and with consequences to horrible to fathom.

For once, I hope that I'm wrong, but I don't think that I am. For I have learned my lessons from history, even if the Europeans have not.