Appeasement and Neville Chamberlain

Appeasement is a strategy that has been employed throughout history by weaker nations facing destruction by stronger nations. Animals do this frequently and signify their inability to cope by rolling on their backs with their throats exposed.

Unfortunately, terrorists do not have the basic decency of animals. Their motivation is destruction, not domination.

The most well-known case of appeasement is the appeasement of Adolf Hitler’s Germany by United Kingdom Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain’s government in the late 1930s. Chamberlain, a good and dedicated man, truly believed he had secured “Peace in Our Time” through discussion instead of by force of arms. When he returned from his meeting with Hitler, he was celebrated as a hero who had saved England from destruction.

What he did allowed Hitler to overrun Europe without the fear of intervention from UK forces. When Hitler had Europe in his pocket, he was able to concentrate on the battle of Britain and would have wrapped it up if the US had not intervened.

Neville Chamberlain, although he meant well, became remembered for his monumental misjudgement of Hitler’s character.

Well, history seems to repeat itself. The recent events in Spain show that the lessons of history are soon forgotten. A terrorist attack by al-Qaeda prompted Spanish voters to give the terrorists what they wanted: a Socialist government that opposes America’s war on terrorism.

Although this will come as a great surprise to those who deny any connection between Iraq and al-Quaeda, a videotaped message from the al-Qaeda “military commander” for Europe claimed credit for the bombings, saying that the terrorist attack was meant to punish Spain for supporting the war in Iraq.

Ann Coulter presents this sad story far more eloquently than I can. Read her article, The Reign in Spain Falls Mainly on the Lame.

The Spanish people I used to know were proud and courageous people. Evidently they are in the minority. I am sure that Spanish voters will regret their timidity. Let’s hope it doesn’t cost them their country.

Update: The Gray Monk had more to say on his subject.