Saturday, September 07, 2002

The Danger of Appeasement The Danger of Appeasement Imagine the scene:  a powerful leader threatens to attack a weaker country, claiming it represents a mortal threat.  Other world leaders demand some kind of evidence that such a threat really exists.  To those who have demanded a "smoking gun," a  senior official replies, "the answer is: 'By the time you see the evidence, it's too late.' " [This is an actual White House quote.] Frightened heads of state, blustering but in the end unwilling to oppose an aggressive and powerful country, capitulate and with a fig leaf of protocol, condone agression. This is really happening.  It is not Munich 1938, but New York, 2002, at the upcoming session of the U.N. general assembly.  Appeasement is a real danger, and many countries, from China and Russia to the European Union, are preparing to appease the U.S. by withdrawing their objections to a war of agression against Iraq. It is hard to believe we have come to this Orwellian nightmare, where even columnists in the New York Times are saying "war is peace, freedom is slavery, truth is ignorance." The reason this appeasement will happen is that not a single country has the power to stand up to the  war frenzy of the U.S. leaders.  The countries that could oppose the U.S. all have interests that will force them into line.  The French and the Europeans ultimately need oil and are afraid of an economic war with the U.S., so they will capitulate.  Russia needs guarantees of $8 billion in loan repayments from Iraq.  If the U.S. promises that its new puppet government will honor these debts and give economic preference to Russia, Putin will fall in line.  The Chinese, who like to be seen as principled, actually have one principle only:  keep sovereignity over Taiwan.  If the U.S. is willing to not interfere in China's attempts to reunite Taiwan, then the Chinese will not oppose the U.S. in the end.  So, all the members of the UN security council will ultimately give Bush and Cheney the war they want.. The only way this appeasement could be prevented is if all the major powers together, the Europeans, the Russians, and the Chinese, maintain a united front of total opposition.  But where is the leadership?  Where is the moral authority?  Where is the modern day Churchill, saying this evil cannot stand.  Who will oppose Bush?  Why Osama bin Laden, of course.  Edward W. Lempinen's article today in Salon "Is Osama Winning" offers a compelling argument that Bush is actually playing into bin Laden's hands.  I don't doubt for a minute which man is more intelligent.  Osama knows that Bush's war against the Arabs will strengthen his cause and further his agenda for radical overthrow of Arab client states.  Bush is too stupid to see the danger in diverting his "war on terror" into his long dreamed war with Iraq.  The real situation, seen clearly by the Europeans and some U.S. policy makers outside the administration, is that the war with Iraq will destroy the original alliance for the war on terror and leave Al Quaeda stronger.  Like the original appeasers in Munich, the capitulation of today's appeasers in New York will have dire consequences for our generation. 12:34:40 AM   comment []

© Copyright 2002 Toby Sackton. Last update: 12/26/2002; 9:30:18 PM.