What about all the rest of them guys?

This Friday, Charles Krauthammer writes: (excerpts, emphasis added)

When confronting an existential enemy ... there are only two choices: appeasement or war.

In the 1930s Europe chose appeasement. Today Spain has done so again. Europe may follow.

Today there is no doubting the intentions of Arab-Islamic radicalism. It is not this grievance or that (U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia). It is not this territory or that (Palestine, Andalusia). The intention, endlessly repeated, is the establishment of a primitive, messianic caliphate -- redeeming Islam and dominating the world.

Spain will now withdraw from Iraq, sever its alliance with America

First of all, there was never an alliance in the generally understood definition that applies to states:

A formal agreement establishing such an association, especially an international treaty of friendship.

Second, why all the attention to Spain? Krauthammer asserts that radical Islam is out to dominate the world. So why isn't he spending more of his time critiquing most of Latin America, most of Asia, and virtually all of sub-Sahara Africa? At least Spain showed up for a while in Iraq, and it was involved in Afghanistan. Spain makes up 0.6% of the world population. They've done their share.

Krauthammer should direct his outrage elsewhere.


posted by Quiddity at 3/19/2004 03:49:00 PM