Munich, 2004

Munich, 2004 - Saturday, during the radio show, I asked Rocket Man and Captain Ed if they thought the Madrid bombings might signal a turning point in Europe's approach to terror.

Sunday morning I sat slack-jawed and depressed, seeing that it was a turning point indeed. For the worse.

The War on Terror has been an emotional kaleidoscope so far. On the morning of September 11, I ping-ponged back and forth between fear and jaw-wracking anger. The day the Northern Alliance took Kabul, I was agog with amazement. The day the statue of Hussein fell in Firdos Square, it was stunned pride in our troops.

Yesterday was the first time in this war I've felt depressed. An entire nation - one in which in whose integrity I had at least a shred of faith - has turned tail and run.

Appeasement and cowardice won in the Spanish elections. "He that trades a little freedom for a little security deserves neither" said Benjamin Franklin.

Sullivan says:

it's vital that the Islamist mass murderers target those who backed both wars. It makes total sense. And in yesterday's election victory for the socialists, al Qaeda got even more than it could have dreamed of. It has removed a government intent on fighting terrorism and installed another intent on appeasing it. For good measure, they murdered a couple of hundred infidels. But the truly scary thought is the signal that this will send to other European governments. Britain is obviously next. The appeasement temptation has never been greater; and it looks more likely now that Europe - as so very often in the past - will take the path of least resistance - with far greater bloodshed as a result. I'd also say that it increases the likelihood of a major bloodbath in this country before the November elections. If it worked in Spain, al Qaeda might surmise, why not try it in the U.S.?

Let's see what it does for the Spaniards. It did wonders for the Turks, after all...

Posted by Mitch at March 15, 2004 03:56 AM