Israel: Land For Peace Fails

By Douglas V. Gibbs

Czechoslovakia stood in the way of German expansion in 1938.  Europe feared German aggression, and Britain opted for appeasement.  Propaganda was used to convince Europe that the Germans in Czechoslovakia were being treated unfairly.  The German army conducted maneuvers near the Czech border.  The Czechs ordered partial mobilization.  Hitler threatened to invade Czechoslovakia.  The allies feared that a military confrontation between Germany and Czechoslovakia may drag all of Europe into a new world war. Hitler addressed the people, renewing his demands for the Sudetenland, the part of Czechoslovakia that served as home to German speakers.

Peace was desired at any cost, and the blame for tensions began to be pointed at Czechoslovakia for refusing to capitulate to the Germans.  Hitler promised that Sudetenland was the last territorial claim he would make in Europe.  He wanted the region "returned" to the Reich, and then he would be peaceful again.

British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, convinced that if Hitler was not appeased the world would plunge into war, decided he needed to negotiate with Hitler in order to keep the peace.  In a meeting that lasted a week, the participants in Prague decided that the Czechs must cede all border areas with more than fifty percent Germans to the Reich.  Czechoslovakia was not in attendance, and had no say in the matter.

The "Land for Peace" agreement was believed to guarantee peace. Czechoslovakia was carved up to keep the peace, and if the Czechs refused to play along, the British and the French promised they would not come to the aid of the Czechs.

In the end, Hitler was given everything he wanted, so that he would not take what he wanted through war.

Chamberlain returned to England proclaiming, "I believe it is peace in our time." He was greeted with cheers and relief. By handing over Czechoslovakia to Germany, the ruling elite of England and France hoped that Hitler had received sufficient payment to renounce aggression in Western Europe.

The Soviet Union prepared to help the Czechs by moving a large number of infantry and cavalry divisions, tank corps, armored brigades and aircraft formations. Czech writer, Karel Capek, wrote, "Treaties are made to be kept by weaker nations."

German armies marched into a non-resisting Czechoslovakia. The German Generals couldn't believe Hitler had pulled off another bloodless victory. The new boundaries gave Germany 11,000 square miles of Czech land, and almost 3,000,000 Sudetens and 800,000 Czechs.

To keep the peace, the Western democracies had given away plenty of land. In addition to Czechoslovakia, the quivering allies permitted Hitler to occupy the Rhineland, had given Mussolini free reign in Ethiopia, invoked a non-intervention agreement against Loyalist Spain, and had not lifted a finger for Austria. Hitler made the appeasers do his dirty work for him because he knew they craved peace so much that they were willing to sacrifice others for it.

Not a shot was fired at that point.

German troops, in force, crossed into what was left of Czechoslovakia. The Czechs offered no resistance.

In March of 1939, Czech independence came to an end. In Prague, Hitler wrote, "Czechoslovakia has ceased to exist."

Appeasement began its march in the early 1920s, becoming worse as Germany got rid of the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles one by one. The victors of World War I made the mistake of dismantling their own treaty, and they failed to see that Hitler wanted war, despite his rhetoric that called for peace.

Hitler counted on the Allies having guilt about Versailles. He counted on them being willing to trade land for peace.

Israel stands in the way of full Muslim domination of the Middle East. The West fears Islamic aggression, and is opting for appeasement. Propaganda is being used to try to convince people that Muslims in Israel, and in the occupied Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Golan Heights, are being mistreated.  Islamist forces have conducted maneuvers at the borders of Israel, and have continuously lobbed missiles into Israel. Islam constantly threatens Israel, often using language that proclaims a desire for the complete destruction of Israel.  The Palestinians have spoken to the world, proclaiming parts of Israel to belong to them.

Peace in the Middle East is desired at any cost by the Western Appeasers.  The unrest is being blamed on Israel.  Islam promises that the Palestinian claims are the last they will make in Israel.  If land is traded for peace, they say, then the unrest in the Middle East will ease.

The Western Leaders, fearful that if the Muslims are not appeased the world could plunge into terrorism, have decided they need to negotiate with the Palestinians, grant them the Statehood they suddenly desire, and grant them their demands for the purpose of peace.

As The West prepares for appeasement, the forces of jihadism are on the rise in Egypt, Syria, and Iran. Egypt's peace with Israel has been guaranteed by U.S. involvement, and land for peace.  The treaty with Egypt was based on the proposition of the Sinai in 1982 for peace. The Islamists moving into position to gain power in Egypt places the treaty at risk.  They have no intention of abiding by its provisions.

The concept of land for peace has failed. Islamism does not care about land. Islamism only cares about the destruction of Israel, the destruction of non-Islamic societies, and ultimately the worldwide domination of Islam through a Muslim caliphate.

Israel gives land because they want the Arabs to give peace. Israel craves peace, but deep down knows that it is not possible. Islam has made it loud and clear that land for peace is a one way street.  Israeli land giveaways are permanent, but Islamic commitments to peace are revoked at any time.

With the current presidential administration in the United States, and the liberal socialists in control of the U.N. and Europe, Israel stands alone.  No one plans to stand up for Israel's right to exist. The Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist parties are working to take an absolute majority in Egypt, but The West has fallen for the propaganda that claims these parties are moderate and pragmatic.

The fact is, the rising Islamist control over the Muslim nations has no intention of respecting treaties, or Israel's right to exist. They are waiting for conflict, and then will blame it on Israel.  Talks are doomed to failure. The Islamists want it that way.

Land for Peace fails. Liberalism fails. Only a direct military posture that stands up against the rising threat will succeed. . . but the appeasers refuse to learn from history, and like Neville Chamberlain with Germany, Barack Obama and his fellow appeasers are positioning the world for a new world conflict.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary