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Europe, R.I.P.
Intellectual Conservative ^ | 26 March 2004 | Nicholas Stix

Posted on 03/26/2004 10:48:31 AM PST by mrustow

The vicious circle of weakness dominating European thought is countered by the virtuous circle of strength that George W. Bush has expressed.

I am not a European.

Lee Harris argued, "The world changed on Sunday," March 14, with the Spanish elections, but the real problem is that Europe failed to change.

If Europe cannot rouse itself to fight back, after it has been attacked on its own soil, we may conclude that the cowardice we saw after 9-11 was not merely the expression of anti-Americanism and opportunism, but of a deeper paralysis, which is now in its terminal stage. And so, I weep for Europe.

Europe's paralysis is best expressed in the combination of two seemingly contradictory statements, one by David Brooks and the other by Edward Luttwak.

"Now all European politicians will know that if they side with America on controversial security threats, and terrorists strike their nation, they might be blamed by their own voters." (Brooks)

"Any [European] politician who invokes Madrid to demand a withdrawal from Iraq will be inviting terrorist attacks to prove his point." (Luttwak)


Both statements may co-exist in the same universe of discourse, the universe of weakness, the universe of defeat. The vicious circle of weakness dominating European thought is countered by the virtuous circle of strength that George W. Bush has expressed: America takes the battle to al Qaeda & Co. We kill some of their members, and capture others, from whom we get the intelligence necessary to kill and capture other terrorists, and so on. That may seem simplistic, but in fact, a nation will either gain the advantage or steadily decline, in the war on terror; a stalemate is not an option.

(The "circles" are metaphors, rather than discrete, logical units. For we are talking about people and nations, not logic or geometry. In the real world, a strong man or even a strong people can be brought low through the collective cowardice or thuggery of others. And so it is, that al Qaeda seeks to beat America through chasing off her allies. And so, we can expect attacks on the United Kingdom, and on or just before our own November 2 presidential election.)

Western European nations increasingly embrace appeasement, while permitting themselves to be overwhelmed by hordes of their Muslim enemies, enemies who hold everything European in contempt, and who increasingly include violent gangs, whose idea of fun is to brutalize Jews and gang-rape Christian girls.

From 1945-1990, Western Europe lived under the shadow of the Soviet "Empire of Evil" (Ronald Reagan), and yet it was safe from being overrun, because we protected it. And so, while America spent billions on Europe's defense, Europe could spend billions on decadent welfare programs which further sapped its moral strength. The result was the same as it always is, with those who get used to getting a free ride. Rather than gratitude, Europeans felt resentful and superior towards us.

A classic case of a spoiled character feeling resentful and superior towards his betters is the Tom Cruise character (Lt. Daniel Kaffee) in the 1989 play and 1992 movie, A Few Good Men. Defense attorney Kaffee cross examines his nemesis, Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep (Jack Nicholson).

Jessep: You want answers?!

Kaffee: I want the truth!

Jessep: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? [To Kaffee's co-counsel.] You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know -- that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives; and my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall -- you need me on that wall.

The exchange could just as well have been between Europe and America over the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

(Unfortunately, politically correct writer Aaron Sorkin and director Rob Reiner presented Nicholson as the heavy, and Cruise as the hero, but it is a tribute to Sorkin's writing skills, that his speech has become a credo for many members of the LAPD and the American military.)

The problem with most of Western Europe, is that it wants to be safe, but still won't guard itself, yet no longer wants America on "that wall." That means that Western Europe will be defeated by Islamism.

New York-based freelancer Nicholas Stix has written for Toogood Reports, Middle American News, the New York Post, Daily News, American Enterprise, Insight, Chronicles, Newsday and many other publications. His recent work is collected at The Critical Critic.

Email Nicholas Stix

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TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Germany; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; Russia; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 311; aaronsorkin; afewgoodmen; alqaeda; appeasement; davidbrooks; edwardluttwak; europe; georgewbush; islam; jihadineurope; leeharris; madrid; newyorktimes; nicholasstix; robreiner; spain; zapatero
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To: Matthew Paul
The problem with most of Western Europe, is that it wants to be safe, but still won't guard itself, yet no longer wants America on "that wall." That means that Western Europe will be defeated by Islamism.

Another interesting read, wetter tell your neighbors!

21 posted on 03/26/2004 11:50:54 AM PST by PeoplesRep_of_LA (I am no longer afraid to publicly say I love Jesus, thanks Mel)
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To: mrustow
He nails it on the head with this statement.

"From 1945-1990, Western Europe lived under the shadow of the Soviet "Empire of Evil" (Ronald Reagan), and yet it was safe from being overrun, because we protected it. And so, while America spent billions on Europe's defense, Europe could spend billions on decadent welfare programs which further sapped its moral strength. The result was the same as it always is, with those who get used to getting a free ride. Rather than gratitude, Europeans felt resentful and superior towards us."

22 posted on 03/26/2004 11:52:05 AM PST by Sprite518
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To: Matthew Paul
oops, wetter=better.
23 posted on 03/26/2004 11:52:31 AM PST by PeoplesRep_of_LA (I am no longer afraid to publicly say I love Jesus, thanks Mel)
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To: mrustow


24 posted on 03/26/2004 12:03:42 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY ((((Europe, R.I.P. - Rot in Pieces))))
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To: mrustow
"The world changed on Sunday," March 14, "

Nah. The world changed some time ago when the Western Civilization birth rate dropped below replacement. Europe is just the canary. Demographics rule.

25 posted on 03/26/2004 12:04:36 PM PST by ex-snook (Be Patriotic - STOP outsourcing in the War on American Jobs.)
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To: 2banana
It is amazing to think of the heros that Europe once produced and what Europe has turned into in today...

The past forty yers, in America and Erupe, are a cautionary tale, as to how centuries of work building institutions, can be swept away in practically the blink of an eye.

26 posted on 03/26/2004 12:05:03 PM PST by mrustow
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To: Brad Cloven
If the U.S. does not defeat radical Islam, and Europe continously tries to sit out the WOT, I predict an overland conventional invasion of Europe by Muslims in about 2050.

There is more than one way to invade a country. It's already well under way.

27 posted on 03/26/2004 12:09:54 PM PST by Hugin
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To: Ohioan
Your thoughts are intriguing, but I see the illegitimacy explosion as having been caused by the welfare revolution. Communists from the National Welfare Rights Organization in local governments such as New York (John Lindsay's welfare commissioner was the NWRO's Mitchell "Come and Get It" Ginsberg) told unwed, black working mothers that they no longer needed to work, and should instead apply for then high welfare rates. Prior to that, simply being a single mother did not automatically entitle one to welfare.
28 posted on 03/26/2004 12:10:03 PM PST by mrustow
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To: Ohioan
The very idea of that can only help our real enemies, the followers of bin Laden, to recruit on the premise that we are the aggressors against Islam, not the other way around.

Oh, we should run away and leave chaos behind, that will solve the problem, I don't think so. You know we aren't fighting a war on Islam. If Al Jazeera and their favorite muslim Bin Laden continue to poison the well it really doesn't matter. What does matter is if the Iraqis develope a modern society they will be the "poster children" that FREEDOM can bring. If Iraq is left to slip into anarchy it will become the new haven for the terrorists. Beyond that it will be a major defeat for the coalition. I'm sure Osama would love that one.

29 posted on 03/26/2004 12:26:59 PM PST by Mister Baredog ((Kerry is a dork))
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To: glennherman
Hatred of jews and non-whites is VERY prevalent

Curiously, in non-white majority countries, hatred of whites is VERY prevalent.

30 posted on 03/26/2004 12:37:01 PM PST by judgeandjury
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To: 2banana
bump
31 posted on 03/26/2004 12:51:01 PM PST by servantoftheservant
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To: glennherman
Fascinating analysis; only time will tell, if you are correct.
32 posted on 03/26/2004 12:56:17 PM PST by mrustow
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To: Sprite518
Nothing rends a people's moral fabric faster.
33 posted on 03/26/2004 12:58:12 PM PST by mrustow
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To: Free ThinkerNY
I love the Trojan horse, but I don't understand the map.
34 posted on 03/26/2004 12:58:57 PM PST by mrustow
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To: 2banana
Very appropriate quotes. Thank you for posting.
35 posted on 03/26/2004 1:01:44 PM PST by hedgetrimmer
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Comment #36 Removed by Moderator

Comment #37 Removed by Moderator

To: mrustow
The Welfare effect was certainly a major contributor to the rise in the illegitimacy rate, after 1938, when the ADC program was innaugurated, and the Government tried to take all stigma out of the situation. (See How The Welfare State Works!.) But if you track the upward spiral, you will see that it did not really kick into high gear until the period when the other factor kicked in as well.

I personally did a statistical study on this in the mid-1960s, when the explosion was really getting started, and the correlation is very striking.

William Flax

38 posted on 03/26/2004 2:15:13 PM PST by Ohioan
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To: Mister Baredog
Oh, we should run away and leave chaos behind, that will solve the problem, I don't think so. You know we aren't fighting a war on Islam. If Al Jazeera and their favorite muslim Bin Laden continue to poison the well it really doesn't matter. What does matter is if the Iraqis develope a modern society they will be the "poster children" that FREEDOM can bring. If Iraq is left to slip into anarchy it will become the new haven for the terrorists. Beyond that it will be a major defeat for the coalition. I'm sure Osama would love that one.

1. We have no Constitutional function to try to remake other societies.

2. The Government does not determine the character of a people, nor their culture.

3. Freedom dependent upon a foreign occupation is a mockery. Imagine what would have been the reaction, if after the French Navy played a key role at Yorktown, they had sent in a French Army to protect the fledgling States.

4. While we can create an illusion of prosperity by spending American tax dollars and credit in Iraq, that is hardly the way for a people to really progress. But there is a fatal flaw in the notion that Iraq is suddenly going to be a model. With a sea of oil, she can certainly prosper, as do the Saudis and Kuwaitis; and she does not need our physical presence to do that.

5. But with all her oil, and all of our extravagance, no amount of manipulation is going to turn her into the equivalent of a European nation. Those who remember from history, the glorious ancient and medieval societies in Mesopotamia, need to remember what Tamerlane and other Mongols did to the leadership groups in the area, 600 years ago. The genetic damage has not been undone.

Why do you think that Saddaam had to hire so many foreign technicians for his weapons programs? Why with all his wealth, was he unable to achieve the sort of technological break-throughs that a desperately poor North Korea--with a vastly higher average I.Q. achieved. I am not trying to be unkind, just facing the realities of the situation.

The danger of a continued American presence will always be in that we, as the outsiders, will achieve the blame for everything that goes wrong; as well as the hatred of those who will see our meddling as an attack on their way of life and value system. I suspect that Bin Laden actually loves the fact that we seem to be staying.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

39 posted on 03/26/2004 2:34:08 PM PST by Ohioan
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To: Matthew Paul
Funny cartoon!
40 posted on 03/26/2004 2:39:21 PM PST by Yardstick
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