Posted on 01/30/2005 11:32:51 AM PST by Shenandoah
I belong to a small group on the internet... Mavis also belongs to this same group... We discuss a variety of issues.. Mavis, my friend just sent this... I thought it interesting, and thought I would share it with all of my friends, family and acquaintances.. And then, you might want to share this article as well!! Mavis says: This article sent by Niomi Regan found in a German Newspaper, speaks of the current situation the world today is facing. Matthias Dapfner who writes the article gives our President his correct position in light of the new enemy the entire world is facing. This article must be read by every liberal in America. It speaks loudly of a Terror that has surfaced and unless the world unites, we will see history repeat itself as in WW 2. ~~of course this is just my humble opinioin...
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
Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!
ONE GERMAN WHO GETS IT
That article sums up the situation in Europe perfectly.
Dear Teddy,
Well, it didn't work out for us today and that darned freedom triumphed. Normally it would be against my religion, but have a Chivas (or ten) on me and drown your worries. Just don't drown anyone else!
Your pal,
Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi
My Kennedy photoshop tribute at 50 & 60.
AAARRRRGGGG, Matie, do ya have a bit a rum?
The scary thing is, I think you may be telling the truth.
'Think' is a mighty presumptive word to use with that fathead!
According to Ted Kennedy, no matter what decisions we make in the U.S., we’re basically doomed. Iraq has an election, and we’re doomed. George W. Bush is elected and we’re doomed. It seems as though inevitably, we’re doomed. So why don’t we all drop out of school, become managers at our favorite neighborhood restaurants and become addicted to drugs. Because the reality is, we’re all doomed and we don’t care.
Ted Kennedy does not think-period. Like the other Senator from Mass, his lips have no connection with his brain. With this pair, I am using the word "brain" loosely.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy
315 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Senator Kennedy,
The other day, you gave a speech calling for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq; that U.S. troops are part of the problem, not part of the solution. I do not understand this. Your brother JFK said "We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty," and that has generally been the foreign policy that we have tried to live by – succinctly articulated by your brother, yet you proclaim something other than that. What pity he must feel when he looks down at you.
You refer to Iraq as another "quagmire," like Vietnam. The only reason Vietnam was a quagmire was because people like your younger protege John Kerry, gave comfort to the enemy then as you are doing now. You'd think a man of your tenure in the U.S. Senate would have learned from the mistakes of that era when Vietnamese officials today said that the war protestors were their greatest asset. It did not matter that they never beat us on the battlefield, and to prove it, they honor John Kerry in their war memorials and museums. What you are doing now only strengthens the enemy's resolve and undermines the seeds of democracy we are planting in the middle east.
Some say if we are in Iraq, why aren't we in North Korea, Saudi Arabia or Iran - well, we can't do it all because of you and your call for the big "peace dividend" at the end of the cold war. Thanks to you personally and your call that we have a military that can not be on both sides of the world at the same time and engage tyranny and spread liberty as your rather astute brother proclaimed. Besides, when you and your collegues say this, you all say it in a manner suggesting we should be in some other country first, that some other country should have greater priority – well, Mr. Kennedy, where would you have us go instead of Iraq first? Before you criticize, why not propose a solution to go with the perceived problem.
So far we have stopped the ethnic cleansing of the Muslims in Kosovo; we have toppled the Taliban in Afghnaistan which has now had free elections; we have toppled Saddam Hussein and they have now had successful free elections; Libya has taken note and given up the nuclear program. So where should we start – North Korea? Syria? Iran? Or tuck our tails and come home so radical Islamists can gain strength and bring the battle to our homefront. They are going to fight us. The question is do we want to do it over there or do you want it fought in the streets of Boston or Washington? Think about that before you continue to open your mouth.
I thought you would have matured with age and tenure, but you are acting like your irresponsible ex-lieutenant protégé with a previous OTH discharge and that is who you have aligned yourself with. I wonder if your late naval lieutenant brothers are smiling upon you from heaven knowing what kind of naval lieutenant Kerry turned out to be – certainly not the kind that gave his life in Operation APHRODITE or the kind that kept his PT boat crew together after being rammed by an enemy destroyer.
They say the U.S. Senate is the greatest deliberative body in the world – yet you harrangue the president and the administration about the war in Iraq, you and your colleagues denounce publicly and in the confirmation hearings a remarkable woman like Dr. Condi Rice and are determined to obstruct anything the president and administration tries to do. You, my friend, and Barbara Boxer, Grand Kleagle Robert Byrd, KKK (Ret) are making a mockery of the senate. You would rather see President Bush and this administration fail politically instead of the nation succeeding in its overall objectives overseas.
I am sure the parents of our soldiers, Marines, sailors, airmen and guardsmen are all pleased with your comments, and the grateful citizens of a new and free Iraq are all wondering what your continued blathering is about after the successful outcome of their election. I am sure they are further befuddled by what kind of people we have in America as opposed to the ones risking their lives over their right now.
Let me tell you something, mister. I have friends over there right now that have been killed and wounded, and if you haven’t heard from any of those – let me tell you that what you are saying and doing is a disgrace to this nation, your family name and two of your dead brothers who at least had enough balls to raise their right hand, take the oath and go to war. They were obviously men of courage, honor and commitment; they earned the right to their views to express them. Remember, when you express your’s, you are doing so because of men like them, me, my father, my brother, and our wounded and dead friends that have secured that right for you as annotated by the campaign streamers on our respective battle colors. I am not aware on any contribution YOU made to our nations battle colors, so why don’t you use that right gained by your brothers with a little more forthought and dignity. If you can’t, quit embarassing us and stay off tv and go back to embarassing the people of Massachusetts instead of all of the people like me in all 50 states.
For Godsakes, do something that shows you have developed some character instead of showing us the same man that let that poor girl die in a creek while he concocted his alibi. Show us there is hope that you are not a pathetic wretch, show us the Kennedy legacy is not what the last taste Americans get as a result of seeing and hearing you in your present form.
Excellent letter - I wish you would send it to him again and again. I would volunteer to be one of many needed who would sit on him if he could be forced to read your words.
I think his staff shields him from letters like this, so he never knows. I noticed that there was nothing in the MSM about his visit to Gitmo which did not turn out the way he thought it would. He went down there expecting to hear of attrocities and what he got was negative feedback from his own constituents.
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