Wither Europe?

While I can't exactly verify the veracity of this post from Free Republic, it does ring true. In it, a fellow named Matthias Dapfner, Chief Executive of the huge German publisher Axel Springer AG. The fulcrum:

And now we are faced with a particularly grotesque form of appeasement... How is Germany reacting to the escalating violence by Islamic fundamentalists in Holland and elsewhere? By suggesting that we really should have a "Muslim Holiday" in Germany.

He goes on to hammer the culture of appeasement that has permiated Europe for decades and actually applauds George W. Bush for doing the right thing while Europe did nothing.

I think the tide may be turning in Europe against the Islamic Fascists.

On a brighter note

It seems the Palestians and the Israelis are slowly coming to grips with the fact that neither are going anywhere and that, in order to survive and prosper, they'd better learn to get along. I had always regarded Yassir Arafat as a gangster masquerading as a "freedom fighter" and now that he's dead, well things might be looking up. This week, Ariel Sharon and Abu Mazen declared (but did not sign) a "cease fire". While I'm certain that Hamas and Hizbolleh will not comply, it's still a good sign. Let's hope that everyone can see the folly the armed conflict is in this situation and simply sit down and drawn a decent border. Both could sets of folks -- the Zionist and the Palestinians -- could prosper if they realize that they have to share.

Here's to a real peace in the Middle East.