Those That Fail To Learn From History...

Are Forced To Re-live It.

I guess that I am frequently guilty of poking fun at Europe in general with some of my disingenuous, ill thought out rhetoric. One might also say that Great Britain in general, and England specifically, is included in my own Redneck description of what is embodied by the term Europe and the politicts thereof.

I would take exception to this characterization, however.

I was a big fan of Margaret Thatcher during her term as British Prime Minister, even though I didn’t see eye to eye with her on her domestic and social issues. Since I didn’t live in England, I guess that you could say that that was England’s business, but her position on the world stage and generous support of President Ronald Reagan more than made up for her liberal socialist leanings inside her own borders.

Likewise, Tony Blair’s support of the USA and President Bush’s international policies in the Middle East has yielded a firestorm of contempt from the British and world media, but Mr. Blair has stayed the course and recently won re-election.

The people have spoken.

My Blog Idols over at Powerline pointed out these amazingly prophetic words uttered by another beliegured Britton, Sir Winston Churchill just as Great Britain was being deluded into thinking that sympathy and consolation could prevent further conflict with the Germans.

Here is an excerpt prefacing Churchill’s statement, along with part of his speech:

On September 29, 1938, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain flew to Munich, Bavaria, Germany, to meet the German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler. He returned to London on October 1st waving the famous piece of paper which he proudly claimed contained the agreement pledging that Germany and Britain would never go to war again, thus guaranteeing "peace with honour."

The public was overjoyed but Churchill, participating in the House of Commons debate on the resolution "that this house approves the policy of His Majesty's Government by which was averted in the recent crisis and supports their efforts to secure a lasting peace," charged that the Government had "sustained a total and unmitigated defeat," and that "a disaster of the first magnitude has befallen Great Britain and France."

"And do not suppose this is the end," he warned. "This is only the beginning of the reckoning. This is only the first sip, the first foretaste of a bitter cup which will be proffered to us year by year unless by a supreme recovery of moral health and martial vigour, we arise again and take our stand for freedom as in olden time."

I wish I could write and speak like that…