Europe, R.I.P.

Intellectual Conservative ^ | 26 March 2004 | Nicholas Stix

[mrustow]

The vicious circle of weakness dominating European thought is countered by the virtuous circle of strength that George W. Bush has expressed.

I am not a European.

Lee Harris argued, "The world changed on Sunday," March 14, with the Spanish elections, but the real problem is that Europe failed to change.

If Europe cannot rouse itself to fight back, after it has been attacked on its own soil, we may conclude that the cowardice we saw after 9-11 was not merely the expression of anti-Americanism and opportunism, but of a deeper paralysis, which is now in its terminal stage. And so, I weep for Europe.

Europe's paralysis is best expressed in the combination of two seemingly contradictory statements, one by David Brooks and the other by Edward Luttwak.

"Now all European politicians will know that if they side with America on controversial security threats, and terrorists strike their nation, they might be blamed by their own voters." (Brooks)

"Any [European] politician who invokes Madrid to demand a withdrawal from Iraq will be inviting terrorist attacks to prove his point." (Luttwak)

Both statements may co-exist in the same universe of discourse, the universe of weakness, the universe of defeat. The vicious circle of weakness dominating European thought is countered by the virtuous circle of strength that George W. Bush has expressed: America takes the battle to al Qaeda & Co. We kill some of their members, and capture others, from whom we get the intelligence necessary to kill and capture other terrorists, and so on. That may seem simplistic, but in fact, a nation will either gain the advantage or steadily decline, in the war on terror; a stalemate is not an option.

(The "circles" are metaphors, rather than discrete, logical units. For we are talking about people and nations, not logic or geometry. In the real world, a strong man or even a strong people can be brought low through the collective cowardice or thuggery of others. And so it is, that al Qaeda seeks to beat America through chasing off her allies. And so, we can expect attacks on the United Kingdom, and on or just before our own November 2 presidential election.)

Western European nations increasingly embrace appeasement, while permitting themselves to be overwhelmed by hordes of their Muslim enemies, enemies who hold everything European in contempt, and who increasingly include violent gangs, whose idea of fun is to brutalize Jews and gang-rape Christian girls.

From 1945-1990, Western Europe lived under the shadow of the Soviet "Empire of Evil" (Ronald Reagan), and yet it was safe from being overrun, because we protected it. And so, while America spent billions on Europe's defense, Europe could spend billions on decadent welfare programs which further sapped its moral strength. The result was the same as it always is, with those who get used to getting a free ride. Rather than gratitude, Europeans felt resentful and superior towards us.

A classic case of a spoiled character feeling resentful and superior towards his betters is the Tom Cruise character (Lt. Daniel Kaffee) in the 1989 play and 1992 movie, A Few Good Men. Defense attorney Kaffee cross examines his nemesis, Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep (Jack Nicholson).

Jessep: You want answers?!

Kaffee: I want the truth!

Jessep: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? [To Kaffee's co-counsel.] You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know -- that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives; and my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall -- you need me on that wall.

The exchange could just as well have been between Europe and America over the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

(Unfortunately, politically correct writer Aaron Sorkin and director Rob Reiner presented Nicholson as the heavy, and Cruise as the hero, but it is a tribute to Sorkin's writing skills, that his speech has become a credo for many members of the LAPD and the American military.)

The problem with most of Western Europe, is that it wants to be safe, but still won't guard itself, yet no longer wants America on "that wall." That means that Western Europe will be defeated by Islamism.

New York-based freelancer Nicholas Stix has written for Toogood Reports, Middle American News, the New York Post, Daily News, American Enterprise, Insight, Chronicles, Newsday and many other publications. His recent work is collected at The Critical Critic.

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[mrustow]

BTTT

[2banana]

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded sense of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing _worth_ a war, is worse. When a people are used as mere human instruments for firing cannon or thrusting bayonets, in the service and for the selfish purposes of a master, such war degrades a people. A war to protect other human beings against tyrannical injustice; a war to give victory to their own ideas of right and good, and which is their own war, carried on for an honest purpose by their free choice, --is often the means of their regeneration. A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares about more than he does about his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. As long as justice and injustice have not terminated _their_ ever-renewing fight for ascendancy in the affairs of mankind, human beings must be willing, when need is, to do battle for the one against the other."
--John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), "The Contest In America," Fraser's Magazine, February 1862 [reprinted in Mill's_Dissertations and Discussions, vol.1 p.26 (1868)] <>

"Still, if you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than live as slaves."
--Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965),_The Gathering Storm,_bk.I ch.19 p.348 (Houghton Mifflin, 1948)

"Sons of Scotland! I am William Wallace - and I see a whole army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny. You've come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight? Aye, fight and you may die. Run and you'll live. At least awhile. And, dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!" --Mel Gibson as William Wallace, speaking to the Scots - outnumbered three to one - on the battlefield at Stirling Bridge, A.D. 1297. (Braveheart, 1995)

[Bahbah]

Wow. Wake up, Europe, please.

[mrustow]

Thanks for the great quotes!

[mrustow]

Possible future book:

Why Europe Slept

[2banana]

It is amazing to think of the heros that Europe once produced and what Europe has turned into in today...

[Uncle Miltie]

If the U.S. does not defeat radical Islam, and Europe continously tries to sit out the WOT, I predict an overland conventional invasion of Europe by Muslims in about 2050. Given substantial local sympathizers, Mainland Europe would by 100% Vichy-Islamist.

And I won't argue for their rescue.

[Ohioan]

I believe that both European nations and America lack their traditional moral fibre to defend their ongoing heritages. The debate over Iraq only masks the real issue. (And I am not evading the debate over Iraq. I feel that we won a quick impressive victory, for which our Defense Department deserves high praise. I also believe that our drawn out presence in Iraq is the wrong tactic--the totally wrong tactic--in the War on Terror.)

But the real issue in the West is that we have allowed a combination of Leftist theorists and spoiled airheads to denigrate the historic progression of generations in our various ethnic heritages. In Europe, the justification for the EU is complex, but in elevating an abstraction over a thousand years of history, it has destroyed the concept by which the manhood of each generation, measures their mettle against that of preceding generations. But much the same process has taken place in America, with the embrasure of diversity as a positive moral good.

One of the clearest examples of the breakdown in moral fibre, connected with a downplaying of ancestral identifications, came in what happened in the throes of the great drive to integrate school populations, both North & South in the late 1950s through the 1960s. The illegitimacy rates in both races exploded. Since this time period also corresponded with enormous advances in the availability of contraceptives, it is difficult to ignore the obvious relationship between breaking down the sense of community identification in each race, and the breakdown in family structure.

Just some random thoughts.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[glennherman]

Dont't mourn Europe yet. I have lived in Europe on and off for over 20 years. I can tell you that there is a unreported and underground sense of anger and betrayel throughout the EU. Today, the symptoms of this anger is aimed at the US and George Bush - BECAUSE our European counterparts have been sold out by their EU addled governments. There nations are weak and are being overrun by barbarians. They see the US and their anger is real -- "Why should American be able to remain strong? My country has 2000 years of proud history and the ignorant USA is the only one who is standing up to Islam. Why I am forced to bend over by my nanny state."

OK, here is why I don't think Europe is finished. Let's be honest for 10 seconds here. Europe is a very racist area. Hatred of jews and non-whites is VERY prevalent. My prediction is that the day will come when the socialist weaklings will be swept from offices throughout the EU. Fueled by the kind of messianic anger that only Europeans can foment, the EU will now be run by center-right nationalists. The once benign fascism of the center left EU will be replaced by a virulent center-right EU. Europe when angered always becomes passive at first (weimar Germany) and then fascistic (Hitler's Germany) This pattern appears in European politics again and again. Without the iron cutain and the cold war to keep the EU zone peaceful I believe the old patterns will re-emerge.

And let me be clear, when the backlash happens over the next 5 years - whatever inequities the moslem horde feel the US has inflicted upon them will seem like a walk in the park.

When the common European is finally roused to action, no muslim will be safe. Mass deporations, riots, murders, etc. will be rife through the European Union.

Guys, I have a lot of friends in Europe and most of them are really pissed that their nations are being neutered and invaded by the islamofacists. The world media likes to exploit the hate america and hate Bush angle. But what they won't tell you is that that anger is really more about their situation than our president or foreign policy. WHen Europe's fantasy of appeasment ends in a hail of bombs over the next few years their appeasment will turn to the madness that has unfortunately defined Europe for over 2000 years.

And yes, when the smoke clears, Washington DC will have to "pick up the eurozone peices" as Margaret Thatcher said in her last book STATECRAFT. Once again, we will foot the bill for protecting Europe and bailing out their failing currencies and economies. Ho Hum.

[Mister Baredog]

I also believe that our drawn out presence in Iraq is the wrong tactic--the totally wrong tactic--in the War on Terror.)

slightly overstated considering we still have troops in Germany and Japan, it is important that we complete the job

On your larger point I hear you can see the minarets popping up all over major European cities, some day soon Europe will be the front line in this war.

[2banana]

I think I remember the same things being said about Zimbabwe...We will see what happens but I hope the "eurozone pieces" we pick up have some decent breweries...

[OldFriend]

RIP and don't call us when you need rescue!

[pax_et_bonum]

ping

[laotzu]

"Once again, we will foot the bill for protecting Europe and bailing out their failing currencies and economies"

But, not France......right?

[americanbychoice2]

I see the EU as an eventual catalyst for international conflict. There are however several thing that may happen to eleviate this problem.
Just a couple of facts. The German economy can't recover in it's present situation. Before taxes the German worker pay 46% into various benefit programs. (15.6% for health insurance 19.6% for social Insurance, matched by their employer. Taxes are much higher than here. In addition a VAT of 16% of anything you purchase. Utility taxes are so high that it is approx. 3 times the price of what we pay.
What is interesting is that those systems are broke. Add to that the decline of population and the aging of Germany. In 15 years 65% of the population will be over 60 years of age.All, because during the Era of " La dolce Vita" they have become too lazy to breed. The worst thing that has ever happened to Germany was "the Wirtschaftswunder". Germans have never had prosperity and did not have a clue how to treat it. It's a shame it didn't come with instructions.
I have read the new EU constitution, most people haven't. There will be a total loss of soveirnity and Brussels, through their appointed, not elected Ministers will rule from the top down. The aristocracy has been placed back in power. Regulations will make the EU unable to compete globally.There has not been a single IPO in Germany in 2 years.
The moves by Germany and France does strongly suggest their rule of Europe. It is interesting to see that they will rule Europe without a shot being fired? :)
"Old Europe" needs new Europe. Sure, initially there will be payments to the new states to modernise their infrastructure. Wait a few years and payback will have to be made in form of new and "better" Taxes. The future belongs to the new States, since we already see that Investment is not flowing into the old, but the new countries for a myriad of reasons.
There may be a peoples revolution down the road, preempting a threat from the EU. Eventually, people in the EU will want freedom from taxation without representation. It is a quagmire, the EU constitution is just the final nail in the coffin before they lower it into the dustbin of history.
Of course this is only my opinion, I could be wrong.

[Ohioan]

slightly overstated considering we still have troops in Germany and Japan, it is important that we complete the job

Germany and Japan are both first world nations, with comparable levels of achievement. Our troops remain, no longer as conquerors, but as welcome guests. In Iraq, our troops remain after we "completed the job" of getting rid of our enemy, in order to try to change the local culture. The very idea of that can only help our real enemies, the followers of bin Laden, to recruit on the premise that we are the aggressors against Islam, not the other way around.

We are fighting will of the whisps, and occupying a small part of their potential recruiting basin, makes no sense. If you look a bit closer, you will see that the justification for a longer term American presence is the same pathetic policy with which Dean Rusk (under the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations) messed up Third World peoples all over the map. (See Democracy In The Third World.)

William Flax

[TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa]

Europe is Rohan. You can pick who is Grima Wormtongue. Kerry, Kinton, or Chiraq.

Théoden: So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?
Aragorn: Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them.
Théoden: For death and glory.
Aragorn: For Rohan. For your people.

[Kozak]

I predict an overland conventional invasion of Europe by Muslims in about 2050.

That would be redundant. Given current immigration rates, and birth rates.

[redgolum]

I work for a Spainish company, and while what you say may be true in some areas, for the most part they all want the Islamofacists to just let them drink and party away, till they are to old and to few to matter.