Text 28072, 114 rader
Skriven 2007-04-01 13:23:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: German editorial
========================
HERE IS A GERMAN EDITORIAL

   If any of you still feel that this war on terror is a mistake, here 
is an opinion from an unexpected source. It's fascinating that this 
should come out of Europe. Mathias Dapfner, Chief Executive of the huge 
German publisher Axel Springer AG, has written a blistering attack in 
DIE WELT, Germany's largest daily paper, against the timid reaction of 
Europe in the face of the Islamic threat.

   This is a must-read by all Americans. History may well certify its 
correctness.

   EUROPE - THY NAME IS COWARDICE
   (Commentary by Mathias Dapfner CEO, Axel Springer, AG)

   A few days ago Henry Broder wrote in Welt am Sonntag, "Europe - your 
family name is appeasement." It's a phrase you can't get out of your 
head because it's so terribly true.

   Appeasement cost millions of Jews and non-Jews their lives, as 
England and France, allies at the time, negotiated and hesitated too 
long before they noticed that Hitler had to be fought, not bound to 
toothless agreements.

   Appeasement legitimized and stabilized Communism in the Soviet Union, 
then East Germany, then all the rest of Eastern Europe, where for 
decades, inhuman suppressive, murderous governments were glorified as 
the ideologically correct alternative to all other possibilities.

   Appeasement crippled Europe when genocide ran rampant in Kosovo, and 
even though we had absolute proof of ongoing mass-murder, we Europeans 
debated and debated and debated, and were still debating when finally 
the Americans had to come from halfway around the world, into Europe yet 
again, and do our work for us.

   Rather than protecting democracy in the Middle East, European 
Appeasement, camouflaged behind the fuzzy word "equidistance," now 
countenances suicide bombings in Israel by fundamentalist Palestinians

   Appeasement generates a mentality that allows Europe to ignore nearly 
500,000 victims of Saddam's torture and murder machinery and, motivated 
by the self-righteousness of the peace movement, has the gall to issue 
bad grades to George Bush... Even as it is uncovered that the loudest 
critics of the American action in Iraq made illicit billions, no, TENS 
of billions, in the corrupt U. N. Oil-for-Food program.

   And now we are faced with a particularly grotesque form of 
appeasement. How is Germany reacting to the escalating violence by 
Islamic Fundamentalists in Holland and elsewhere? By suggesting that we 
really should have a "Muslim Holiday" in Germany?

   I wish I were joking, but I am not. A substantial fraction of our 
(German) Government, and if the polls are to be believed, the German 
people, actually believe that creating an Official State "Muslim 
Holiday" will somehow spare us from the wrath of the fanatical 
Islamists. One cannot help but recall Britain's Neville Chamberlain 
waving the laughable treaty signed by Adolph Hitler and declaring 
European "Peace in our time".

   What else has to happen before the European public and its political 
leadership get it? There is a sort of crusade underway, an especially 
perfidious crusade consisting of systematic attacks by fanatic Muslims, 
focused on civilians, directed against our free, open Western societies, 
and intent upon Western Civilization's utter destruction.

   It is a conflict that will most likely last longer than any of the 
great military conflicts of the last century - a conflict conducted by 
an enemy that cannot be tamed by "tolerance" and "accommodation" but is 
actually spurred on by such gestures, which have proven to be, and will 
always be taken by the Islamists for signs of weakness. Only two recent 
American Presidents had the courage needed for Anti-appeasement: Reagan 
and Bush.

   His American critics may quibble over the details, but we Europeans 
know the truth. We saw it first hand: Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War, 
freeing half of the German people from nearly 50 years of terror and 
virtual slavery. And Bush, supported only by the Social Democrat Blair, 
acting on moral conviction, recognized the danger in the Islamic War 
against Democracy. His place in history will have to be evaluated after 
a number of years have passed.

   In the meantime, Europe sits back with charismatic self-confidence in 
the multicultural corner, instead of defending liberal society's values 
and being an attractive center of power on the same playing field as the 
true great powers, America and China.

   On the contrary - we Europeans present ourselves, in contrast to 
those "arrogant Americans", as the World Champions of "tolerance", which 
even (Germany's Interior Minister) Otto Schily justifiably criticizes. 
Why? Because we're so moral? I fear it's more because we're so 
materialistic, so devoid of a moral compass.

   For his policies, Bush risks the fall of the dollar, huge amounts of 
additional national debt, and a massive and persistent burden on the 
American economy - because unlike almost all of Europe, Bush realizes 
what is at stake - literally everything.

   While we criticize the "capitalistic robber barons" of America 
because they seem too sure of their priorities, we timidly defend our 
Social Welfare systems. Stay out of it! It could get expensive! We'd 
rather discuss reducing our 35-hour workweek or our dental coverage, or 
our 4 weeks of paid vacation... Or listen to TV pastors preach about the 
need to "reach out to terrorists. To understand and forgive".

   These days, Europe reminds me of an old woman who, with shaking 
hands, frantically hides her last pieces of jewelry when she notices a 
robber breaking into a neighbor's house.

   Appeasement?

   Europe, thy name is Cowardice.

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