Posted on 01/24/2005 5:57:54 PM PST by mad_as_he$$
ONE GERMAN WHO GETS IT
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.
Great idea!
The editor has almost got it right. There aren't many mainstream American's that are European fans nowadays; mainly becasue of their anti-American stance and we American's stand by our President; after all "My America, right or wrong." However, as the editor goes on he misses the point, in saying that Reagan and Bush are the same. Reagan, in destroying the Communist regieme, made it clear waht he was going to do and did not misled his country, it cannot be said the same for Pres.Bush.
Just one quick question:
Who are you to say "Wow! Something reasonable coming out of Germany." or "ONE GERMAN WHO GETS IT"?
Is there nothing else worth mentioning? True, I am German, my grandfathers fought in Two World Wars, one was a high-ranking camp commander in Poland, the other a communications detachment leader. Germany lay in ruins after WW II. The Marshall Plan and other great plans helped us to gain our present position in the world.
You cannot simply blame the FDR for whatever they did "FDR handed Eastern Europe to Stalin all wrapped up with a shiny bow on the package". This is very opinionated and filled with sarcasm and irony.
And what's up with others in the forum suggesting or thinking that the author would be arrestd in THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY? Are you or are the crazed? We have a functioning economy, freeedom of media and speech -as long as no other people/instituions are made fun of/harmed- and it is a proven fact that in gerneral people living in Germany are far more political than people living in the US.
Furthermore, Germans are fighting in wars: They are in Afghanistan, Africa, and many other countries. Personally, I believe that some Americans, especially some posting in this forum should think more globalized and in modern ways. I live around Ramstein Air Base and thus have many American friends. They love Germany, her culture, ways, people.
In addition, I think that, WE, the GERMANS [as well as other countries such as France] did not want to go to Iraq-war because the US would not have transferred her rights and powers to some sort of NATO-leadership. Poland joined the fight with some 350 men and everyone was happy.
I just ask one thing. Be objective and take the times of yore into account.
ULI -Ulrich- Keller
GERMANY
TwiztedMind@gmx.de
Do you think this man will face problems with his job or phone calls threatening him like some here in the USA would for writing things so divergent from main stream thinking? Or will he not be reviled at all for expressing his opinion?
Conservatives here in America that live in blue states can't put a bumper sticker supporting Bush on their car without worrying about vandalism..
I'm not flaming you here, just genuinely curious.
Of course you aren´t flaming me, you are just asking out of curiousity. No, I seriously don´t think that this man will get any problems at all. Here in Germany, political freedom is a high value. You don´t have to fear to get hate messages (by phone or mail) when you write readers comments or have stickers on your car, you can talk about politics at your job etc, if only you a) aren´t a Nazi/Commie (=extremist) or b) you are still expressing that you tolerate other opinions. You must be able to shake hands with you opponents afterwards or it has become too serious. I have never experienced oppression/hate by others for saying your opinion in public - only exception: military! The military is strictly neutral. Soldiers are not allowed to attend political conventions in uniform or to express their political opinion one-sided during service. In civilian clothes and off work they may as well be party members and support parties, but never in uniform. I distracted, sorry. :-)
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