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EUROPE - THY NAME IS COWARDICE (WOW! Saying it like it is!)

Posted on 02/01/2005 10:01:52 AM PST by dascallie

Matthias Dapfner, Chief Executive of the huge German publisher Axel Springer AG, has written a blistering attack in DIE WELT, Germany's largest daily newspaper, against the timid reaction of Europe in the face of the Islamic threat.

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 Adolf 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.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: allies; appeasement; axisofweasels; europe; oldeurope; waronterror
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1 posted on 02/01/2005 10:01:52 AM PST by dascallie
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To: dascallie

Bump. Good read.


2 posted on 02/01/2005 10:03:16 AM PST by Steelerfan
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To: dascallie
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 -

And being vilified by the likes of Pelosi and Kennedy.

- because unlike almost all of Europe, Bush realizes what is at stake - literally everything.

Amen.

3 posted on 02/01/2005 10:05:45 AM PST by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: dascallie

This is about a week old... was posted when it first came out here. Worth a re-read, though, it's a beautiful piece.


4 posted on 02/01/2005 10:07:30 AM PST by thoughtomator (How do you say Berkeley California in Aramaic?)
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To: dascallie
Wow. Great article. Thanks for posting it. Pretty hard-hitting, especially when written by a European about Europeans:

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.

5 posted on 02/01/2005 10:07:38 AM PST by mark502inf
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To: dascallie
Wow.
6 posted on 02/01/2005 10:09:26 AM PST by Question_Assumptions
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To: dascallie
Appeasement? Europe, thy name is Cowardice.

Ouch! :) Here and there, slowly, people are starting to get it.
7 posted on 02/01/2005 10:11:33 AM PST by Daus
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To: dascallie
Do you have a source for this?

I'm asking because this sentiment is wonderful but I hope it is not one of those email things.

He mentions "4 week vacations", whereas Germany has had 6 week vacations for many years now.

Pajama Patrol Badges & Pins!

8 posted on 02/01/2005 10:12:08 AM PST by Seeking the truth (0cents.com - Pajama Patrol Badges are here!)
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To: dascallie

Good article. Would you please supply the link?


9 posted on 02/01/2005 10:12:31 AM PST by Lorianne
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To: dascallie

Appeasement...the true route to hell....


10 posted on 02/01/2005 10:12:31 AM PST by Route101
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To: dascallie

BRAVO!!! It's wonderful to see a European unafraid to tell the truth.


11 posted on 02/01/2005 10:13:41 AM PST by Deo et Patria (Deo et Patria)
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To: dascallie

I missed this article the first time around, thanks for putting it up again. Very interesting read.


12 posted on 02/01/2005 10:16:26 AM PST by ishabibble
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To: dascallie

btt


13 posted on 02/01/2005 10:19:21 AM PST by lilmsdangrus (hard work musta hurt somebody, somewhere....)
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Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: dascallie

Yes, good read...
(maybe I don't have the "true" German original)

and someone with a better understanding(than I) of the German language should take another shot the translation...

...just look at the original and look where(if) Chamberlain is mentioned ...and a change from 300,000 to 500,000...

...this is not meant as an attack on the translator: I think the spirit of the original is captured very well!


15 posted on 02/01/2005 10:22:33 AM PST by stuttgtr (stuttgtr)
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To: dascallie

bump


16 posted on 02/01/2005 10:23:40 AM PST by tophat9000 (We didn’t rise they sunk look at the blue, water filled, sink holes map (Mike Moore Fatass divots ?)
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To: dascallie

Bump for later...


17 posted on 02/01/2005 10:24:10 AM PST by Rummyfan
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To: dascallie
Click Here

18 posted on 02/01/2005 10:25:10 AM PST by Fiddlstix (This Tagline for sale. (Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: dascallie

'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. "

The linchpin of liberalism, here and abroad, is a basic misunderstanding of human nature. Their naive assumptions about good and evil enable the worst kind of behavior. It's always curious to me to see how they react with shock and irrationality whenever cold reality intrudes on them personally. Their "all moral ideas are equivalent" philosophy is grounded on selfishness, and they react bitterly whenever, and only whenever, their own personal well being is immediately threatened.

I think we'll see the leftwing Euros react harshly and disproprotionately when they have their own 9/11... without apology for all of their prior criticism of the US' restrained actions in the WOT, of course.


19 posted on 02/01/2005 10:30:40 AM PST by mikeus_maximus
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To: dascallie

PING

PING

PING

and PING

Again!


20 posted on 02/01/2005 10:30:55 AM PST by steveyp
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