Appeasement -- It Won't Work This Time(Tony Blankley)

Real Clear Politics ^ | September 06, 2006 | Tony Blankley

[kellynla]

Last week, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said that those who don't take the radical Islamist terrorist threat as seriously as the Bush administration does suffer from a "moral and intellectual confusion." He compared them to the British appeasers of Hitler before WWII.

I did a left-wing radio call-in show after the speech in which the callers accused Rumsfeld of calling them pro-Nazi for opposing President Bush on the war. Of course Rumsfeld was suggesting no such thing. But it is worth reviewing the history and meaning of appeasement -- both for those who hurl the charge and for those who are charged.

The use of the term appeasement to describe a nation's foreign policy first emerged in the 1930s in England to describe the Ramsey McDonald/Stanley Baldwin/Neville Chamberlain British governments' policy of avoiding military conflict with Hitler's Germany by yielding to his territorial demands.

But it is important to note that prior to then, the term was typically used as a positive description of individual action, such as in the phrase "appeasements of Divine displeasures," (Ralph Cudworth, the Cambridge Platonist, 1678.)

Just so, the British governments of the 1930s thought they were acting both ethically and in the best interest of their people. While there were a few pro-Nazis and anti-Semites in Britain (mostly in the upper classes), Chamberlain and most of his government were neither.

They did think Germany had been unfairly dealt with in the Versailles Treaty after WWI. And they did think it reasonable, natural and more or less inevitable that the 80 million German-speaking people of Europe would be re-united under one nation. Thus they appeased Hitler's demand for the Rhineland, anschluss (union) with Austria and the invasion of the Sudetenland (German-speaking part of Czechoslovakia).

[kellynla]

Sooner or later, all Americans are going to have to come to the realization that Muslims want all non-Muslims dead. And sooner or later, America & Americans are going to have to give Muslims the war they want. And this time, we'll finish the job.

[PGalt]

Last week, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said that those who don't take the radical Islamist terrorist threat as seriously as the Bush administration does suffer from a "moral and intellectual confusion."

I had not heard the exact words before. Thanks for posting this article, and thank you Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld!

[Logical me]

I believe the vast majority of Americans do get it right. Appeasement will not work when dealing with the mentally ill. What is also disturbing is many of the mentally ill are in Congress. What in the hell is happening? Mentally ill electing mentally ill jackass. What a combination.

[G8 Diplomat]

Appeasement won't work any time...

[johnny7]

And this time, we'll finish the job... or welcome in the new, Dark Ages.

[bennowens]

Why do we spend so much time, attention, and energy on the mythical threat of global warming while ignoring the obvious threat from these extremists?

[expatpat]

I think there is probably a lot of Arab money rattling around among the elites of this country, and affecting their behavior.

[okie01]

Why do we spend so much time, attention, and energy on the mythical threat of global warming while ignoring the obvious threat from these extremists?

Because the left and their willing accomplices in the media believe that "global warming" is a greater threat than Islamist extremists.

George Bush, though, is an even bigger threat than "global warming"...

[speekinout]

Appeasement won't work any time...

That's not true. Appeasement works most of the time. That's what diplomacy is. For example, most trade agreements are a form of appeasement.
The challenge is in knowing when appeasement will work and when it won't.

[Cacique]

btt

[danamco]

Sooner or later, all Americans are going to have to come to the realization that Muslims want all non-Muslims dead. And sooner or later, America & Americans are going to have to give Muslims the war they want. And this time, we'll finish the job.

This book will help you to understand the muzzie's mindset:...................

A must read book, scary stuff!!!

[kellynla]

I know all I need to know about the muslims.
And one more 9/11 type terrorist attack in America and every muslim swinging dick in America will have to pack up his koran and family and go back to whatever hellhole they originated from.
Our ancestors didn't risk life and limb to come to this country just so a bunch of camel jockeys could come here, terrorize our women and children and make hamburger out of our families.

[B.O. Plenty]

And one more 9/11 type terrorist attack in America....

And isn't it a shame that it is going to take another attack to get everyone's attention?? It beats the hell out of me why everybody does not see the danger. Islm has promised to kill us all...they said it loudly and often...but a lot of Americans will not hear the sound.

Maybe there is some pied piper who could play his pipes, and all the appeasers and those who cannot compute the danger would follow him to one place...the place where the next 911 bomb goes off...so those of us who know the disaster that is about to engulf us would not have to suffer the "next one".

[SE Mom]

Wait til Blankley learns Ahmadinejad is coming to speak at the UN.

[kellynla]

What would you give to see a U.S. Marshall at the JFK with an arrest warrant in hand waiting for Ahmadinejad ?

[Right_in_Virginia]

BTTT

[G8 Diplomat]

Lemme rephrase that...when dealing with enemies who want to kill you, appeasementnever works.

[speekinout]

Lemme rephrase that...when dealing with enemies who want to kill you, appeasementnever works.

Now, that is true!