When Tolerance Becomes Criminal
A stunning piece appeared in Der Spiegel (July, 23), a German weekly. It shocked this writer, so it might impress the reader, too. Inevitably, the account carries one from the report’s specifics to implications that are more significant than the original details.
The two-page piece responds to a suit brought against the UN and Dutch soldiers under its command. The plaintiff alleges their responsibility for the Srebrenica massacres ...An unwelcome conclusion for America and Europe emerges. Giving in to aggression might evade a fight initially. However, it will not avoid the risk of ultimate slaughter. Europe’s vulnerability derives from its state of mind, which imperils it and its US ally. The preferred approach of the “progressive humanitarians” of both continents will not even restrain a pre-teen gang. The case presented – the danger, the response and the outcome – suggests that a revision of the approach to global politics is called for. It should conform to the rules the bad guys set and abandon the illusions of an ideal world. Iran, Iraq, Korea, but also Russia and China have a message. It counsels that, a reality-corrected change in the assumptions that determine the assessment of antagonists and the means used to respond to them is imperative.
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