Ali vs. President Bush

Submitted by John R. Peacher (United States), Nov 30, 2005 at 07:45

I feel what happened when President Bush presented Ali with the Medal of Freedom speaks volumns in the strategy to win the war on terror, or the war on bigotry. The United States hopes that by trying to integrate, include, and accept Islamic personalities into our free, democratic mainstream that the radicalism will change. We will forget the past, we will forgive the misdeeds, change can take place and Islamist's eventually will moderate their posture regarding their hatred of all things Western.

Will this strategy be successful? Our lives and the existence of our nation may depend upon this. In the same manner, Ariel Sharon is betting the farm that giving the Palestinian Authority full control of the Gaza will bring a peaceful Palestinian State. LIkewise, the very survival of Israel may depend on this gamble.

One only has to look at history to see if there are events where this strategy has succeeded. Was the British peacemaker Chamberlain successful when he confronted Adolf Hitler? Was the United States successful at the Peace Table with the North Vietnamese or the North Koreans in more recent history? Did democracy turn the tide in the North of these two nations who were unwilling to compromise their principle hatred for all things western or democratic?

Our nations leaders are playing a very dangerous game. The record of success and appeasement when dealing with tyranny, bigotry, and hatred does not bode well for the United States of America.

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