Like others before him, bin Laden underestimates us

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | 18 April 2004 | Commentary

[Lando Lincoln]

A few weeks after Pearl Harbor, Winston Churchill stood before the United States Congress and asked a question about our common foe: "What kind of people do they think we are?'' The Axis held much of Europe and Asia and was expecting our two nations to accept our fate quietly, to just lie down and surrender without a fight. Or that's what they hoped. Instead, they found out what kind of people we are.

The same question arises as Osama bin Laden sends a message from his cave hide-out, offering a truce to Europe.

"Stop spilling our blood,'' said a voice that intelligence agencies believe is bin Laden's. "So we can stop spilling your blood.''

In other words, "Stop defending yourselves and we may relent and spare you.''

What kind of people does he think we are?

It is to Europe's credit that bin Laden is finding no takers for his devil's bargain. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the offer deserves only "contempt.'' French President Jacques Chirac said "no dealings are possible with terrorists'' -- France isn't exactly up to its elbows in the struggle, but at least its rhetoric is improving.

Italy, which suffered heavy losses this week in Iraq, called a truce "completely unthinkable.''

Even Spain, whose incoming government did the nation no good by saying it will pull troops out of Iraq after the March 11 bombing in Madrid, expressed scorn over bin Laden's offer.

That's more like it. For too long Europe has been playing to its growing Muslim minorities and acting as if, should the European states keep their heads down, the threat will pass away.

This problem won't just go away, and determination is the only way to face it. British Prime Minister Tony Blair met with President Bush last week to fine tune the best way for the United Nations to help an interim government in Iraq succeed after the June 30 handover of authority.

Just as we do not want Europeans to indulge in knee-jerk anti-Americanism, spinning out the same tired cliches, so we should both refrain from expressing unwarranted hostility toward Europe, and give credit where credit is due.

Europe, in rejecting any dialogue with terror, takes the only path that offers any hope of success. In Iraq, American and Britain are setting the tone.

''The response has got to be that we hold firm,'' said Blair.

''If they believe that we'll cut and run,'' said Bush, ''nobody's going to take a stand for freedom.''

Echoes of earlier sentiments from another time and another battle against a pervasive evil. As Churchill continued, nearly 63 years ago: "Is it possible that they do not realize that we shall never cease to persevere against them until they have been taught a lesson which they and the world will never forget?'' True then, true today.

[Lando Lincoln]

Sadly, OBL has the liberal left and the liberal media figured perfectly.

Lando

[rdb3]

Just as we do not want Europeans to indulge in knee-jerk anti-Americanism, spinning out the same tired cliches, so we should both refrain from expressing unwarranted hostility toward Europe, and give credit where credit is due.

Nice piece, until this part.

I believe that my hostility towards most of Europe is highly warranted.

A.K.A. Sleepy Brown

[Brilliant]

Whether bin Laden underestimated us depends on whether we elect George Bush to be our next President, or John Kerry.

[thoughtomator]

Yeah, it doesn't appear that he underestimated the Europeans, that's for sure.

[Spok]

Admiral Yamamoto of the Japanese Imperial Navy called America 'a sleeping giant'. We're still a giant but to a certain extent (the left) we're still asleep. Complacent liberals have convinced themselves that 9-11 was a fluke that won't be repeated, as that belief helps them sleep better at night. 9-11 was a wake up call, that unheeded WILL be repeated. The British didn't want to hear Churchill's warnings until he couldn't be ignored. History repeats itself.

[LibWhacker]

And vastly overestimated himself and the capabilities of his fellow moon worshippers.

[jocon307]

"9-11 was a wake up call"

A wake-up call from Hell, as Benyamin Netanyahu put it.

[risk]

On my TV this afternoon I find:

1. Live Rodeo in Colorado, an Army event.
2. Stock car racing!
3. A feature about a woman whose leg was amputated and still plays sports.
4. Basketball.
5. The Oregon Symphony and Portland Opera Chorus recreate the circumstances of the performance of Verdi's "Requiem" as it was sung by prisoners in the Nazi concentration camp at Terezin.
6. Football.

...to name just a few highlights. I guess bin Laden is living in a cave and Kim Jung Il is just hoping he isn't hit by a cruise missile.

We're winning just by enjoying life more than they do. Of course they hate us for that, too.