Posted by
Soldier Dad on Thursday, August 24, 2006 11:44:49 AM
Appeasement didn't work in the Cold War. It doesn't work in the war on Islamist fundamentalism. It doesn't even work with the school yard bully.
But we hear elected officials and public figures spout off daily about pulling out of Iraq. About
understanding the other side. About being deliberate, and cautious, and prudent. About sacrosanct civil liberties. About nuances.
Hell.
Islamo-facists lost the "right" to nuances when they flew planes into our buildings. When they blew up Tube cars in London. Every time they plant an IED on the side of the road to kill our soldiers and Marines.
So while many in our government are fighting the good fight, and fighting it well, there are too many
deliberate, and
cautious, and
prudent policy-makers. Until we fight this war with all the spirit and passion and firepower America has to offer, we will not win. We might win battles, and we may keep the edge, but in essence, we will still be appeasing.
The Christian Science Monitor is running a
10-part series on Jill Carroll's ordeal as a hostage of Islamists. Here is a brief excerpt illustrating the effect of appeasement:
"Then there were the videos. They had been astounded when my first hostage video, in which I had been forced to plead for the release of women at Abu Ghraib, had coincided with the freeing of five female prisoners by the US. After that, they seemed to be almost in a frenzy to see what else they could get in exchange for me."
This is the mindset we are dealing with. So let's deal with them - or rather, let's NOT deal with them. The road to appeasement is paved with bombs and blood and bodies and ends at a cliff, after which there is no return.