Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Europe Betrays Itself in Georgia

Europe has been the cause and battleground for all three World Wars of the 20th century. For that reason there has been one supreme question in world affairs since Hitler and Stalin: Can Europe ever learn to avoid repeating its own suicidal history? [snip]

Yet today, Europe has flopped itself into an abject kow-towing posture toward Moscow. Former German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder --- by far the worst German leader in six decades --- has just blamed Georgia for getting itself invaded by Russia. [snip]

NATO is a mutual defense pact, which translates as "we help you and you help us." NATO has kept Europe secure for sixty years. But it's all been one-way -- we've defended them with the Berlin Airlift, by building up European armies, in proxy wars in the Middle East, Korea and Vietnam, and in finally by getting the Soviets to let go of their European colonies.

We've done our share. What did Europe do after 9/11? Other than raging at the victim? George W. got ripped by our good 'friends' in Europe. It wasn't just a lot of screaming and yelling. Europe's military response to 9/11 was pathetic beyond belief. It still is.

Well, here's an honest European's opinion, Matthias Doepfner, the CEO of the Axel-Springer publishing group:

"These days, Europe reminds me of an old woman who, with shaking hands, frantically hides her last pieces of jewellery when she notices a robber breaking into a neighbour's house. Appeasement? That is just the start of it. Europe, thy name is Cowardice."
This is the biggest international development since the end of the Cold War. The West has knowingly junked the most important policy lesson of the 20th century: Don't give in to armed bullies. This failure will come back to bite us.

You can bet on it.

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