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Off Topic - MUST READ



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 24th 05, 06:58 PM
Ralf
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Default Off Topic - MUST READ




Long Read - but please take the time. thanks RG



Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005

Matthias Dapfner, Chief Executive of the huge German publishing house Axel
Springer AG, has written a blistering attack in DIE WELT (The World),
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 (Sunday World):
"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 UN. 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.

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  #2  
Old July 25th 05, 01:36 AM
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Ralf

From where I stand, your point is well taken but I can't help feel as
americans, we stick our nose in were it doesn't belong or were not
invited. Who made us the world police? If we cannot convince our
friends that there is a problem that will effect them in the long term
and that we could use their support and help and stand together for
what is right then we have really failed in the area of leadership

 




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