Dateline Jerusalem — This week the U.S. and Europe entered into an agreement with Iran, capitulating to almost all of Iran’s demands. One of the greatest generals during World War II was George Patton. Gen. Patton believed history repeats itself. Therefore he would study military history before leading his troops into battle. In 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, known for appeasing Hitler, y’mach shemo–may his name be obliterated — boasted “Peace in our time” after entering into the Munich Agreement resulting from “peace talks” where Chamberlain agreed to almost all of Hitler’s demands. Winston Churchill told the British House of Commons, “England has been offered a choice between war and shame. She has chosen shame, and will get war.” Churchill was so right. Chamberlain was so wrong. World War II and the Holocaust were the result of the appeasement. Israel is rightfully concerned that history will repeat itself, that this agreement with Iran will lay the seeds of WWIII and G-d forbid another Holocaust, as Iran continues to call for the destruction of Israel and the U.S. during the entire negotiation period.
The U.S. and Europe continue to sign agreement after agreement with those who show nothing but contempt for the agreements. Hitler considered the Munich Agreement, “just a piece of paper.” He proceeded to invade Europe. President Clinton claimed the entire world would be safer after the U.S. signed an agreement with North Korea in 1994 to slow the spread of nuclear weapons. Only a few years later, after Clinton boasted that “North Korea will freeze and then dismantle its nuclear program,” North Korea conducted its first successful test of a nuclear weapon. Now President Obama sounds similar to President Clinton. Do they have the same speechwriters? Obama is boasting that the agreement signed this week with Iran was a good deal for the United States and will protect Israel. Mr. President, left- and right-wing Israelis cannot agree on anything, but they have come together on this issue. The Iran deal is a nightmare agreement not only for Israel, but for the entire world. Israel’s enemies of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt and the Gulf States agree with Israel.
Even Iran’s President Rouhani boasted on a couple of occasions that Iran lied and did not comply with their 2003 agreement with the International Atomic Energy Assn. ,whereby Iran promised to suspend all uranium enrichment and other nuclear activities. Rouhani should know. He was Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator from 2003 to 2005. Rouhani wrote a book in 2011 where he said, “While we were talking to the Europeans in Tehran, we were installing equipment in Isfahan,” a facility where uranium ore, or yellowcake is converted into an enrichable form. In an Iranian television interview in 2013, Rouhani detailed how Iran flagrantly breached the agreement of 2003. He said that all Iran did was suspend 10 centrifuges in the Natanz enrichment facility and that the Iranian heavy water reactor at Arak was developed in 2004. His deceit during his tenure as Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator over 10 years ago led to his current position as Iran’s President.
As a former student of history and political science, and as a retired attorney, it is important to know the opposition. There is plenty of history with respect to agreements made with Iranians and others who believe it is okay to lie, make false promises, and consider agreements “just a piece of paper.” For example, during the time of Muhammad, the Quraish tribe of Mecca entered into the Hudaybiyyah peace agreement with Mohammad by signing a 10-year truce. Just two years into the truce, Mohammad attacked and conquered them. Palestinian Minister of Religious Affairs Al Habbash compared Muhammad’s Hudaybiyyah past with the Quraish tribe of Mecca to that of Palestinian agreements with Israel. With Iran’s history of non-compliance with respect to nuclear agreements, why should the world believe that Iran will comply now?
The only time there will be peace is when there is strength. Appeasement never has led to peace, only war and/or dictatorships.
L’hitraot. Shachar
