As long as you are hated, it's better to be feared

American Thinker ^ | April 02, 2007 | James Lewis

[neverdem]

Tehran isn't  interested in loving the West, or even in tolerating us. If you doubt it, just listen to the Khomeini gang. Since the 1979 they've been yelling "Death to America! Death to Israel!"  Have we not heard?

Even while the Brit Left is busily trying to figure out a way to blame America for Tehran's barefaced kidnapping of 15 UK Service personnel, The Telegraph is rediscovering common sense. In an editorial entitled, "If they hate us, let them also fear us" they are drawing the obvious conclusions.

No doubt a lot of Europeans were secretly glad that they were not the target of all that mass hatred. But of course that's simple self delusion. Khomeini and his followers were taught to hate the whole West, including Europe and America --- for its wealth, power, sexual openness, women's liberation, homosexual freedoms, capitalism, Christianity, its free press, its Marxoid intellectuals, and for conquering Andaluz in 1495. (If you forgot how we conquered Andaluz and drove out the Muslims, Ahmadinejad hasn't. Nor has Osama Bin Laden.)

In fact, Europe has very conveniently blacked out its own history. Europe as a unifying idea arose to resist numerous Muslim invasions --- in Spain, France, Eastern Europe, even in the British Isles, which were the subject of slave raiding well into the 18^th century. That's what the Song of Roland is all about, the first European epic poem. That's what Charlemagne was all about, the hero of today's European Union. You can try to imagine that's all past, but Ahmadinejad lives in the past. That's what "Islam" means to the radicals: Surrender to the 7^th century, or get your head chopped off.

Short of  running up the white flag the West has only one strategic option: To show its real mettle. This will upset the fantasy-prone Left to no end, but it's so obvious that only a fool or a professor could think otherwise.

The West is far more powerful than the madcap mullahs. What they have over us is sheer pig-headed fanaticism. But if you pit two speedboats with armed IRGC zealots against a couple of boatloads of oh-so-polite Brits, the zealots will win every time.

Now politeness is a very good thing. Queen Victoria, as far as we can tell, was extremely polite every day of her long reign. But she was no fool. The Victorians understood that civilized behavior only works with civilized countries. They would have very politely come to an instant conclusion: "If they hate us, let them also fear us"  --- and taken the necessary action. That's not cruel, mean, or imperialistic. It's elementary common sense.

Just one warning shot from HMS Cornwall would have stopped the kidnappers in their tracks, because they were conducting a carefully planned provocation. It was a test of British resolve, courage and power. They still are doing it today to squeeze every drop of advantage out of their mischief.

Ahmadinejad understands that game very well. He's run his whole career on the principle of inspiring fear. That's how the mullahs stay in power and keep the people of Iran in abject misery.

In a decade or so, London will be within easy range of Iranian weapons of mass destruction, along with Paris and Berlin. The purpose of Tehran's rush to nukes is to  inspire a hell of a lot more fear than today's exercise in intimidation. Turn tail now, and they will gain more confidence that Europe will turn tail when they get the Big Bomb.

Does the British government understand the obvious? Or will Prime Minister Blair try to buy off the mullahs --- like Roman Prodi just bought off the Taliban --- hoping that the crocodile will eat him last?

James Lewis is a frequent contributor to American Thinker. He blogs at http://www.dangeroustimes.wordpress.com/

[EagleUSA]

Does the British government understand the obvious? Or will Prime Minister Blair try to buy off the mullahs -—

---

Based on events to date, Europe may end up being the catalyst to a world war between the civilized West and Islamo-fasciscm. I see nothing encouraging from Europe as a whole when it comes to resisting Islam.

[mallardx]

Blair is more afraid of the hippie angst against George W. Bush than he is of the Islamoterrorist threat. I hope he shows strength and resolve with this crisis, but am afraid almost every male politician in Europe has turned into some emasculated sissy.

[adorno]

So much common sense in one little article...

But then, the Europeans haven’t used too much of their brains in the last 50 years, and perhaps in the last 500 years. Common sense is only for those people with brains and who care to use those brains. Thinking with their emotions or feelings only invites trouble.

[Arm_Bears]

“. . . so obvious that only a fool or a professor could think otherwise.”

A gem of a line!

[steveo]

One must be willing to use their power or it means nothing.

[LibKill]

Lord Nelson and Winston Churchill are both doing about 78rpm in their graves.

Rush put it very well today. No one would have caputured US Marines and Sailors without firing a shot.

[omega4412]

But then, the Europeans haven’t used too much of their brains ... and perhaps in the last 500 years.

Excdpt for thoe Europeans who had the good sense to leave there and come here.

[Who is John Galt?]

Lord Nelson and Winston Churchill are both doing about 78rpm in their graves.

I suspect you are right.

Rush put it very well today. No one would have captured US Marines and Sailors without firing a shot,

You would hope that is true - but given the penetration of the "D@mocrat Dumb@ss" element in our society, I'm not quite sure...

[stockpirate]

Hitler had 3 SS Nazi divisions made up of Muslims.

http://www.tellthechildrenthetruth.com

[Kakaze]

Blair is more afraid of the hippie angst against George W. Bush than he is of the Islamoterrorist threat

I think he actually fears both but not from abroad.

I think Blair is afraid a blockade of iran or military action will bring both the peaceniks and more importantly the islamofacist to his streets.

It will become obvious the Brits have lost their homeland.

[PzLdr]

Rush forgot the U.S.S PUEBLO.

[PzLdr]

ODERINT DUM METUANT

[LibKill]

Rush forgot the U.S.S PUEBLO.

Dang! So did I.

I sure hope we learned from that.

[Dick Vomer]

It always boils down to who is willing to kill who....that's it.

I'd like to relate an example....when discussing the use of diplomacy vs "force" I got in an argument with a friend that diplomacy is used by those either preparing for war, recovering from war or unable to fight a war.

we had a great History class..I was taught and always felt that the persistent use of force will generally win and that Europe, the United States and all other "cultured" countries are a 24 hour loss of electricity from violence and about 2 week loss of food supply from survival mode.

We had this discussion over 2 or 9 beers in college...

I took his plate of chips and he asked for it back, I smacked the back of his hand with a butter knife and took his beer, he got up and asked me "wtf?" ... I said I didn't have to give them back....he told me he was going to "make" me....

I asked, "with force if needed?".. would you be willing to kill me?... what if I took your car keys, your money.... when will you fight?

he told me that he'd call the cops.... I told him that if I fought the cops, they wouldn't "ask" me, they'd force me with sticks and guns if I resisted....What if I'm willing to kill the first few officers that show up and tell you that I'll come back to get you later...?

we finished our beers, laughed and he kinda shrugged and said he "got it"..... he said he didn't like fighting and hadn't realized that school yard bullies like countries are encouraged by weakness and will generally stay away from crazy people and those that like to fight....

we had grown up together and he knew that I actually enjoyed boxing and judo...... and as a 4th grader gotten a beat down by an 8th grader that ended with both of us in the infirmary and standing in front of Mother Superior while a Jesuit with hairy forearms used the wooden paddle with the holes drilled in the end to increase velocity...yikes...

It all boils down to "force" and the willingness to use it.... that's what the neighborhood thugs, Jesuit brothers, Catholic nuns and the Marines taught me....some truths are universal...

[monkeywrench]

I think you’re right. Remember when ahmawhatever threatened europe. http://inbrief.threatswatch.org/2006/10/ahmadinejad-delivers-jihad-ult/

[jveritas]

Amen.

[neverdem]

Thanks for the link.

[Cacique]

btt

[hinckley buzzard]

No one would have caputured US Marines and Sailors without firing a shot.

I believe that in the 1979 embassy takeover, the Marine guards did not fire a shot.