ed in diplomatic solutions, nor will they ever be. They are interested in victory. And they are, alas, well on their way to achieving it, for one simple reason. They BELIEVE in their cause, however horribly misguided. We, on the other hand, look to cynicism, apathy and the politics of “surrender-ism” as our guideposts. This weakness of ours is well-understood and skillfully exploited by our enemies.

--While we may be challenged militarily, we are a long way from being unable to respond to additional world problems. And more to the point, if the imminent destruction of humanity is not enough of an incentive to get past our reticence, I’m sure I don’t know what might do the job. As it stands, Iran and North Korea stand at the brink of being nuclear powers. North Korea may already be one. But it appears that they lack a reliable delivery system. How is our situation going to get better? In five years, and perhaps less, we will be unable to take military action for

I don’t know about anyone else, but recent events in the world, and the stunningly stupid reactions to them by many of our so-called world leaders are making me wonder whether it is possible to continue living among our species, or whether we are simply so determined to self-destruct that the continued existence on this planet is pointless.

This visceral response is, I know, at odds with everything I have been taught since childhood. God, we are told, has a plan, and in the end, all will work out right for humankind. It goes without saying that I, like any right-thinking, peace-loving person hope that this is so. I want, badly, to believe that the current spate of international difficulty and stress is, consistent with Biblical prophecy, a mere prelude to a perfect Messianic paradise on Earth.

But candidly, retaining this as an article of faith is proving increasingly challenging, to say the least. On the (almost) Eve of the Jewish New Year, we face the prospect of war with worldwide Islamic Fascism, which unapologetically aims for the reinstatement of a Caliphate and the destruction of Western Civilization as we know it. The insipid responses of the world’s leaders, in a near-perfect echo of Neville Chamberlain, is that we need dialogue with the likes of Iran, North Korea, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas. These “governments” and terror cells have made perfectly plain their intentions for us, and so far as I am aware, have never wavered from them.

Even Hitler had the good manners to lie to Chamberlain’s face and tell him that, in exchange for Britain turning a blind eye to his annexation of the German Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia, he would have no further territorial designs in Europe.

But these guys? Why are our leaders so determined to deny the truth which is staring them in the face—that the implacable foes of the West mean for us, and our way of life, to disappear from the planet.

Of course, we’ve come to expect this kind of response from Jacques Chirac and the French, who suffer from national amnesia, seeming perennially unable (or unwilling) to learn ANY lessons from their own history. In 1914, they fought the Franco-Prussian War of 1871. In preparation for Hitler’s invasion, they ignored the German war strategy of World War I, and hid behind a Maginot Line, which the Germans simply circumvented. Now, France’s enemy is behind the lines; an indigenous, hostile, unassimilated population consisting of a Muslim underclass which the French “natives” despise, but which they invited in, as a menial labor force. To a lesser extent, other European countries face the same problem. We also expect similar reactions from Kofi Annan and his Turtle Bay cohorts, who cannot seem to grasp that there is a not-so-subtle distinction between peacemaking and appeasement.

Unfortunately, the worst part of all this, is that people who do (or at least should) understand the very real threat to the future of this planet, and who say that we MUST prevent rogue countries and terror organizations from developing nuclear capability, also tell us that we must strive for a diplomatic solution, that we need to achieve an international consensus, backed up by sanctions, “if necessary,” and that the U.S. cannot “go it alone,” as we are already overtaxed and overextended militarily. Or, we have the Pat Buchanan isolationists, who tell us—astonishingly—that these matters are, in essence, none of our business.

We, as a nation, need to face certain painful realities:

--We will NEVER achieve an international consensus for action against rogue states. So long as France, Russia and China whose principles and material wealth are openly for sale to the highest bidder, sit as permanent members of the Security Council, and with veto powers, for that matter, this is an immutable law of international politics.

--Iran, North Korea, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas are not interested in diplomatic solutions, nor will they ever be. They are interested in victory. And they are, alas, well on their way to achieving it, for one simple reason. They BELIEVE in their cause, however horribly misguided. We, on the other hand, look to cynicism, apathy and the politics of “surrender-ism” as our guideposts. This weakness of ours is well-understood and skillfully exploited by our enemies.

--While we may be challenged militarily, we are a long way from being unable to respond to additional world problems. And more to the point, if the imminent destruction of humanity is not enough of an incentive to get past our reticence, I’m sure I don’t know what might do the job. As it stands, Iran and North Korea stand at the brink of being nuclear powers. North Korea may already be one. But it appears that they lack a reliable delivery system. How is our situation going to get better? In five years, and perhaps less, we will be unable to take military action for f

of war with worldwide Islamic Fascism, which unapologetically aims for the reinstatement of a Caliphate and the destruction of Western Civilization as we know it. The insipid responses of the world’s leaders, in a near-perfect echo of Neville Chamberlain, is that we need dialogue with the likes of Iran, North Korea, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas. These “governments” and terror cells have made perfectly plain their intentions for us, and so far as I am aware, have never wavered from them.

Even Hitler had the good manners to lie to Chamberlain’s face and tell him that, in exchange for Britain turning a blind eye to his annexation of the German Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia, he would have no further territorial designs in Europe.

But these guys? Why are our leaders so determined to deny the truth which is staring them in the face—that the implacable foes of the West mean for us, and our way of life, to disappear from the planet.

Of course, we’ve come to expect this kind of response from Jacques Chirac and the French, who suffer from national amnesia, seeming perennially unable (or unwilling) to learn ANY lessons from their own history. In 1914, they fought the Franco-Prussian War of 1871. In preparation for Hitler’s invasion, they ignored the German war strategy of World War I, and hid behind a Maginot Line, which the Germans simply circumvented. Now, France’s enemy is behind the lines; an indigenous, hostile, unassimilated population consisting of a Muslim underclass which the French “natives” despise, but which they invited in, as a menial labor force. To a lesser extent, other European countries face the same problem. We also expect similar reactions from Kofi Annan and his Turtle Bay cohorts, who cannot seem to grasp that there is a not-so-subtle distinction between peacemaking and appeasement.

Unfortunately, the worst part of all this, is that people who do (or at least should) understand the very real threat to the future of this planet, and who say that we MUST prevent rogue countries and terror organizations from developing nuclear capability, also tell us that we must strive for a diplomatic solution, that we need to achieve an international consensus, backed up by sanctions, “if necessary,” and that the U.S. cannot “go it alone,” as we are already overtaxed and overextended militarily. Or, we have the Pat Buchanan isolationists, who tell us—astonishingly—that these matters are, in essence, none of our business.

We, as a nation, need to face certain painful realities:

--We will NEVER achieve an international consensus for action against rogue states. So long as France, Russia and China whose principles and material wealth are openly for sale to the highest bidder, sit as permanent members of the Security Council, and with veto powers, for that matter, this is an immutable law of international politics.

--Iran, North Korea, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas are not interested in diplomatic solutions, nor will they ever be. They are interested in victory. And they are, alas, well on their way to achieving it, for one simple reason. They BELIEVE in their cause, however horribly misguided. We, on the other hand, look to cynicism, apathy and the politics of “surrender-ism” as our guideposts. This weakness of ours is well-understood and skillfully exploited by our enemies.

--While we may be challenged militarily, we are a long way from being unable to respond to additional world problems. And more to the point, if the imminent destruction of humanity is not enough of an incentive to get past our reticence, I’m sure I don’t know what might do the job. As it stands, Iran and North Korea stand at the brink of being nuclear powers. North Korea may already be one. But it appears that they lack a reliable delivery system. How is our situation going to get better? In five years, and perhaps less, we will be unable to take military action for

this kind of response from Jacques Chirac and the French, who suffer from national amnesia, seeming perennially unable (or unwilling) to learn ANY lessons from their own history. In 1914, they fought the Franco-Prussian War of 1871. In preparation for Hitler’s invasion, they ignored the German war strategy of World War I, and hid behind a Maginot Line, which the Germans simply circumvented. Now, France’s enemy is behind the lines; an indigenous, hostile, unassimilated population consisting of a Muslim underclass which the French “natives” despise, but which they invited in, as a menial labor force. To a lesser extent, other European countries face the same problem. We also expect similar reactions from Kofi Annan and his Turtle Bay cohorts, who cannot seem to grasp that there is a not-so-subtle distinction between peacemaking and appeasement.

Unfortunately, the worst part of all this, is that people who do (or at least should) understand the very real threat to the future of this planet, and who say that we MUST prevent rogue countries and terror organizations from developing nuclear capability, also tell us that we must strive for a diplomatic solution, that we need to achieve an international consensus, backed up by sanctions, “if necessary,” and that the U.S. cannot “go it alone,” as we are already overtaxed and overextended militarily. Or, we have the Pat Buchanan isolationists, who tell us—astonishingly—that these matters are, in essence, none of our business.

We, as a nation, need to face certain painful realities:

--We will NEVER achieve an international consensus for action against rogue states. So long as France, Russia and China whose principles and material wealth are openly for sale to the highest bidder, sit as permanent members of the Security Council, and with veto powers, for that matter, this is an immutable law of international politics.

--Iran, North Korea, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas are not interested in diplomatic solutions, nor will they ever be. They are interested in victory. And they are, alas, well on their way to achieving it, for one simple reason. They BELIEVE in their cause, however horribly misguided. We, on the other hand, look to cynicism, apathy and the politics of “surrender-ism” as our guideposts. This weakness of ours is well-understood and skillfully exploited by our enemies.

--While we may be challenged militarily, we are a long way from being unable to respond to additional world problems. And more to the point, if the imminent destruction of humanity is not enough of an incentive to get past our reticence, I’m sure I don’t know what might do the job. As it stands, Iran and North Korea stand at the brink of being nuclear powers. North Korea may already be one. But it appears that they lack a reliable delivery system. How is our situation going to get better? In five years, and perhaps less, we will be unable to take military action for

ture of this planet, and who say that we MUST prevent rogue countries and terror organizations from developing nuclear capability, also tell us that we must strive for a diplomatic solution, that we need to achieve an international consensus, backed up by sanctions, “if necessary,” and that the U.S. cannot “go it alone,” as we are already overtaxed and overextended militarily. Or, we have the Pat Buchanan isolationists, who tell us—astonishingly—that these matters are, in essence, none of our business.

We, as a nation, need to face certain painful realities:

--We will NEVER achieve an international consensus for action against rogue states. So long as France, Russia and China whose principles and material wealth are openly for sale to the highest bidder, sit as permanent members of the Security Council, and with veto powers, for that matter, this is an immutable law of international politics.

--Iran, North Korea, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas are not interested in diplomatic solutions, nor will they ever be. They are interested in victory. And they are, alas, well on their way to achieving it, for one simple reason. They BELIEVE in their cause, however horribly misguided. We, on the other hand, look to cynicism, apathy and the politics of “surrender-ism” as our guideposts. This weakness of ours is well-understood and skillfully exploited by our enemies.

--While we may be challenged militarily, we are a long way from being unable to respond to additional world problems. And more to the point, if the imminent destruction of humanity is not enough of an incentive to get past our reticence, I’m sure I don’t know what might do the job. As it stands, Iran and North Korea stand at the brink of being nuclear powers. North Korea may already be one. But it appears that they lack a reliable delivery system. How is our situation going to get better? In five years, and perhaps less, we will be unable to take military action for

ed in diplomatic solutions, nor will they ever be. They are interested in victory. And they are, alas, well on their way to achieving it, for one simple reason. They BELIEVE in their cause, however horribly misguided. We, on the other hand, look to cynicism, apathy and the politics of “surrender-ism” as our guideposts. This weakness of ours is well-understood and skillfully exploited by our enemies.

--While we may be challenged militarily, we are a long way from being unable to respond to additional world problems. And more to the point, if the imminent destruction of humanity is not enough of an incentive to get past our reticence, I’m sure I don’t know what might do the job. As it stands, Iran and North Korea stand at the brink of being nuclear powers. North Korea may already be one. But it appears that they lack a reliable delivery system. How is our situation going to get better? In five years, and perhaps less, we will be unable to take military action for fear of triggering a thermonuclear holocaust. Can anyone really articulate a cogent case for delay, aside from the failure of will?

--It is unfair, and outrageous that the U.S. has to carry the ball alone (or perhaps with the help of a very small circle of REAL allies). But that is our reality. The cynicism, cowardice and fecklessness which infect Europe, Russia and China will not disappear anytime soon. And if the threat were only to them, I would gladly argue that they should be allowed to fall, as the dead, useless weights that they are. But our country, and our way of life is at risk, and there is nothing on earth more worth the fight. Certainly, nobody wants to take casualties. But there will be casualties in any case. Better to take them sooner and win the war than to take them in a fruitless endeavor.

So far, there is no indication that anyone, even in this Country, is ready to do what is necessary. And the clock is ticking. Delay works only to the advantage of the enemy.

So I despair. I get angry. And I take it personally. And while I pray with all my heart that we all be inscribed in the Book of Life for a Happy and Healthy New Year, I know that even God Almighty has got his work cut out for Him in the face of the enormity of the task. I pray that he does have a Plan and that it will soon, and in our time, become apparent to all of us.

Warren R. Graham Copyright 2006