Tell that to Jimmy Carter. He let Iranians occupy our embassy and abuse our diplomats for 444 days. That was the beginning of our problem with the ROP.
We've been fighting the ROP at least since Jefferson and his troubles with the Barbary Pirates (North African Muslims who were capturing our shipping and kidnapping our people). It's nothing new. Some, like Jefferson, understand that strength is the only effective response against ROP, others, like Carter, incline toward appeasement. Thankfully, Bush is in Jefferson's camp.