Daniel J. Pipes

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In War: Resolution

Reader comment on item: Tempering Ambitions [in Iraq]

Submitted by Jackdaw (United States), Nov 13, 2006 at 22:44

We have a surfeit of Neville Chamberlain appeasers but where is the American Winston Churchill? Thumbing Churchill's book "The Gathering Storm", i chanced a glance at the the last paragraph of the chapter titled "Lurking Dangers." This is the text:

"All this time the Allies possessed the strength, and the right, to prevent any visible or tangible German rearmament, and Germany must have obeyed a strong united demand from Britain, France, and Italy to bring her actions into conformity with what the Peace Treaties had prescribed. In reviewing again the history of the eight years from 1930 to 1938, we can see how much time we had. Up till 1934 at least, German rearmament could have been prevented without the loss of a single life. It was not time that was lacking."

This sobering realization by Winston Churchill is prophetic for the West and in particular the United States. America is at exactly the same decision point in the gathering storm that is Iran and the axis of terror states. After the midterm Congressional elections, America's political leaders are at a place of no return. We will not be able to visit our present options again. Up till 2006 at least, Iranian nuclear weapons could have been prevented. It was not time that was lacking. The Theme of the volume, "The Gathering Storm," is how the English-speaking peoples through their unwisdom, carelessness, and good nature allowed the wicked to rearm.

Still, the comparison holds to the present hour. Churchill's values: In War: Resolution; In Defeat: Defiance; In Victory: Magnanimity; In Peace: Good Will


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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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