Posted on 12/10/2004 3:55:27 PM PST by matchwood
The Ents of Europe Strange rumblings on the continent.
One of the many wondrous peoples that poured forth from the rich imagination of the late J. R. R. Tolkien were the Ents. These tree-like creatures, agonizingly slow and covered with mossy bark, nursed themselves on tales of past glory while their numbers dwindled in their isolation. Unable to reproduce themselves or to fathom the evil outside their peaceful forest — and careful to keep to themselves and avoid reacting to provocation of the tree-cutters and forest burners — they assumed they would be given a pass from the upheavals of Middle Earth.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
Force them to institute a crash effort to produce more white flags?
An excellent article. If the Ents awaken, it will probably be the German ones. They still have the nucleus of an excellent military. Hopefully they will not have been too far into their recent lotus dream.
They didn't react to well when the Germans came crashing across their border in 1940.
I think it is important to remember that the people running the madrassas are not the people that successfully shepherded the Ottoman empire through its long decline. They are Arab, resentful, inexperienced at statecraft, radical, inflexible, and hateful, and possessed almost beyond measure with a wealth that they did not earn. That is a very toxic combination.
They are also in a far better position to act against Europe than against the United States. They have a much higher population there than here, more of whom are unassimilated, radical, and possessed of the violence of youth and of people who have been successful with it in the near past, even unopposed. Europe is, by these calculations, at quite a bit more peril than the U.S., and some are beginning to understand this.
What then? If Hanson's charming simile holds the Europeans will awaken and become overwhelmingly violent, which is not, perhaps, the most pleasant of outcomes but is, perhaps, their only chance of a short- or medium-term solution. There is, of course, a long-term solution, but that one involves a Caliph in Paris.
They certainly have it in them. History shows the Europeans making us look like pitiful amateurs when it comes to bloodletting. But history also shows what happens when they wait too long to fight back. That's how Rome ended up with a German king.
"Will they take heed?"
One wonders; I was particularly interested in VDH's comparison of the reaction in Holland to the stabbing of Van Gogh and what if 3000 had been killed in one of the Western European countries. I don't think they get it.
Sadly a majority of the Spainish population put up the white flag after they were attacked.
You bring up a very important point - if we have no children, we live only for today. How many times have I reminded myself, at age 76, even though the future is not important to me, I have to be concerned about my children and grandchildren.
If Europeans adopt a life of few or no children, why would they be concerned over the fate of Moslem children? They wouldn't and that is a breakdown of their society.
That would make Mecca and Medina Mordor and the moon rock they dance around the great eye of Sauran. These analogies are so close its kind of scary.
I just watched a talk show on German TV where they discussed Mr. Bush's refusal to sign the Kyoto pact. They accuse him of being in the pocket of the energy giants and that he is responsible for global warming.
How curious I thought, the Europeans are so intent upon securing a world that reduces global warming in a hundred years, and I believe they are misguided, how is it that they can totally ignore the catastrophe that awaits them within the next 20 years.
Remember there were men (wicked men) in the LOTR that aliened with Sauron. They looked like the French to me. I would not assume all of Europe can be trusted in the end.
True. The attack happened so close to the election that it tipped the scales. Given a few more days, they would have realized what they were doing, but I suspect each voter went to the polls and votes their Anger or their Fear, and Fear won out.
I suspect large numbers of Spanish are regretting this decision now as it has Emboldened ETA, the Basque Seperatists who have launched a bombing campaign.
Spain is being called a coward nation all over the world, and the proud Spanish Military is seething. They risked their lives (and lost some) only to be told to cut and run. They are humiliated, and are pissed according to a Friend of mine from Valencia.
Perhaps Spain serves as an unfortunate (but timely) Bad Example to others. It sure didn't help Osama to send his Devistating Video Tape Attack to the US.
>>>>"where they discussed Mr. Bush's refusal to sign the Kyoto pact."
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Well at least they could get it right. The US Senate refused to sign. (Not that Bush or Clinton encouraged them to do so).
What bothered me most about Spain was that it would encourage the terrorists. I think Al Qaeda wanted deperately to pull off another attack on our soil before the election but they just couldn't pull it off. I'm not so sure they'd have as difficult a time pulling it off in Europe just before an important election.
I am at a loss to predict how European countries can respond effectively to the growing threat that looms over them. In our advanced society it does not seem plausible that they would begin rounding up Moslems and deporting them or slaying them.
The EU countries are almost paralyzed with regulations governing their commercial sectors and equally hamstrung in trying to identify and focus on establishing national identities. In fact, the EU regulations almost prohibit any national identity.
While VDH says it will be amusing to watch the Europeans deal with their problems, it will also be very tragic in the end. The longer they wait, the harsher it will be in the when the civilizations collide.
Agreed.
So Be it. If that's what it takes to wake them up, then the sooner the better. Sad to say, but large numbers of Germans or French are going to have to see the airplanes flying into THEIR buildings before they see the light.
Ah but they are back on Chirac's "good behavior" list and he visits them all the time now.
How very astute the American voters were during the last election or there, by the grace of God, we would have gone.
"Well at least they could get it right. The US Senate refused to sign."
Precisely but if you will notice, our media use the same terminology as the Europeans all the time.
Not to mention that Brazil, India, and China pollute way more than we do, and Kyoto wouldn't change that because they'd be exempt. Kyoto is meant to destroy our economy and nothing more. Screw them.
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