The world is in the midst of momentous change, brought about largely because of Donald Trump’s refusal to accept the conventional foreign policy wisdom that appeasement and accommodation of sinister forces such as North Korea and the Islamic Republic of Iran is the path to peace, when actually appeasement only increases the aggression and bellicosity of the force that is being appeased. Trump knows this, and so against all the advice of the learned analysts, he took a strong line with Kim Jong-un, and while the outcome is by no means clear, the very fact that the North Korean and South Korean leaders met for talks is already an indication that standing strong against aggression is a wiser and more effective strategy than appeasement.
One would have thought the world would have learned this lesson after the 1938 Munich agreement between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler, but it didn’t — and there are plenty of examples throughout history of non-Muslim leaders trying to appease the jihad force that teach the same lesson that Munich teaches. Here are some that you will discover in my new book The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS:
- The eighth-century Catholic bishop who advised the last Christian holdouts in Spain to surrender to the Muslim conquerors and “enjoy many benefits alongside the Moors”
- The Hindu leaders in India who counseled their people to surrender to the Muslim invaders because “if we unite and go forth to fight, we will be killed”
- The Christian city that greeted its new Muslim leader with great joy and pomp, hoping to turn away his wrath — only to be told, “You have two options. Either die or convert to our religion”
- The Byzantine emperor who asked the Abbasid caliph for a peace accord, only to be told to submit and pay the jizya, or else the caliph would “seek Allah’s favor by spilling your blood”
- The Byzantine emperor who asked the caliph for a one-for-one prisoner exchange, only to be told: “It is not the Arab custom to exchange one Arab for a Byzantine since the Arabs have greater value”
- The besieged city that sent the jihad commander Alp Arslan an offering of sex slaves, hoping he would lift the siege — he didn’t, and after massacring many, took 50,000 Christian prisoners
- The U.S. President who counseled against the Zionist project because of Muslim opposition, asking Zionist leaders: “Are you trying to start a holy jihad?”
- Why George W. Bush’s proclamation that “Islam is peace” did vastly more harm than good
- Much more
Strike a blow against the philosophy of appeasement. Click here to preorder The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS.
krishna says
commies can make peace with enemies because they see enemies as humans but islamist see enemies as infidels
Michael Copeland says
“And whoever desires other than Islam as religion – never will it be accepted from him,…”
Koran 3:85, part of Islamic law.
Linda says
President Trump may bring peace to Korea and the Middle East. I hope he does. He could go into the history books as the best President the U.S.A. has ever had.
Older Canadian says
If he achieves that goal, and I have a hunch he will,……he will be the greatest president the USA ever had. The world is watching and the leftist are beginning to show terror in their hearts for a change.
Linda says
More power to him!
jihad3tracker says
AS AN ANCIENT 69 YEAR OLD AMERICAN who has seen about 60 years of U.S. history recorded by newspapers and television —-
I forecast that a video clip of our President welcoming those three freed former-prisoners released from North Korea will become one of the most important symbolic & iconic moments of our relatively young 21st Century, and on into its future decades.
Also, remember that nominations for Nobel Prizes are being made, with a decision to come in (if memory is correct) October. MY VOTE FOR THE PEACE PRIZE ??? DONALD J. TRUMP, NO DOUBT REGARDING THAT. And, if the upcoming June meeting goes reasonably well, why not include Kim Jung Un . . . a joint nomination ?
AS PAMELA GELLER HAS WRITTEN, “THE TRUMP EFFECT”.
gravenimage says
I was *so glad* to see these Americans come home!
And I was always leery of Obama’s deal with the Mullahs–but one of the worst things in my estimation was that he did not even try to get the Americans that Iran is holding freed.
Ray Jarman says
You forgot that he, Hussein, did obtain the release of a great American soldier from Afghanistan. Oh, that is right, he returned to service four high ranking terrorists for a piece of feculence, Bergdahl, who betrayed his fellow soldiers and caused several to be killed while trying to bring him back to safety.
gravenimage says
True, Ray–shameful.
Dan says
Have you ever checked out the Nobel Prize nomination committee?
They’re the kind of in-twit-lectuals who gave it to Al Gore for climate change, over a little old lady who risked death and WAS tortured for smuggling Jewish babies to safety in the Second World War, and Obama for, well, nothing whatsoever, later even escalating several wars, and national and international tensions.
I may be wrong but, I doubt President Trump would even be nominated without some serious threats to the committee’s anatomical welfare, and if he was, he’d NEVER win without some actually lumps delivered.
They’re that bleeping leftie.
Linda says
President Trump doesn’t need any Nobel Prize anyway. He know what he’s doing and he’ll go down in history as the one President who did it. They can stuff their prize if they don’t give it to him.
jihad3tracker says
HELLO DAN — Thank you for giving me some unpleasant reality about in-twit-lectuals on the Nobel committee.
I was indulging in wishful thinking, and agree with commenter Linda about history’s EVENTUAL placement of Mr. Trump as one of our great presidents.
J D S says
I most likely won’t put much hope in President Trump getting the Peace Prize but he will be recognized for what he is doing anyway….by the people …maybe a PEOPLE PRIZE. Too bad some Congressmen and Senators don’t support their party’s leader…Shameful on their part……I hope all who don’t support him loose in their run for re election…Problem there is…
Will they be replaced by a democrat or a Republican who won’t support him either could be a major problem either way.
gravenimage says
The lesson of Korea is not applied often enough
………………………
*Very* important piece.
Appeasement rarely works–taking a strong stand is almost always the better option.
Tom says
Peace through strength, or if you want peace, prepare for war, are both wise and well used strategies.
However, whereas the current, Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) may work with even a tyrant like Kim Jong Un, it may not work with a nuclear weapons prepared Iran or other nuclear ready Islamic regime because Islam wants to herald in the coming of the thirteenth Imam with a world destroying war. Better to threaten the leaders with personal elimination.
Older Canadian says
Unfortunately I think you are right. There is really no easy answer to this. It is a tough one that has been hanging for 1400 years. It is dangerous for all.
Clive Stephen Delmonte says
Spot on, Robert Spencer.
Ren says
Appeasing evil only makes it worst.
Older Canadian says
Always has and always will.
Ren says
Silver bullets for Dracula. Not garlic.
AJS says
Brilliant article.
Those with malicious intent never see reason or compromise. They see only strength and weakness. When met with strength they are cowardly. They try to negotiate or simply fold. When they are met with weakness they are emboldened to further abuse their power.
Something we learn in the school playground, but as is usually the case, the most basic lessons are the ones we most often need to be reminded of.
Older Canadian says
Good post. I remember the playground lesson. I call it walk without fear and no one will touch you. Unfortunately the children of today are not learning this, just the opposite, and that will be their sad future.
Ric says
The West’s world leaders seemingly have little knowledge of history. Refusing to learn from the errors of their predecessors; the placating, appeasing of Hitler is only one but encapsulates the sticking one’s head in the sand syndrome. Playing hot potato or the use of sanctions is, in my opinion, more often than not a pointless measure in most cases. Not that war should be the first step; however, most rogue or autocratic states grasp the weight of the Big Stick or saber rattling. Trump’s heavyweight approach to North Korea, for which the Liberal and MSM criticized him, was the sole reason for Kim Jong-un agreeing to meet with President Trump. Trump, in the view of the MSM and Democrats, remains a world pariah and ill-repute, more so from envy that it is he who caused the little tyrant, Jong-un to agree to the conference. The sky did not fall as the Liberal/Democrats predicted to their chagrin. It is time, now, to play political hardball with another rogue state, Iran. If any nation is in need of the Big Stick or more, it is this menacing evildoer, Iran.
Walter Sieruk says
President Trump has, indeed, accomplished much in the short time he has been in office, as seen with North Korea. Nevertheless, let’s not be too unrealistically optimistic, naive or gullible. This is because in any “talks” about anything, including “talks” about disarming the nuclear weapons and the official end of the Korean War, it would be out of character for that insidious, scheming, disingenuous and lying tyrant, Kim Jong Un , to keep his word in anything that he might promise. To put this in another way, if Kim Jong Un tells someone that “It’s raining outside.” That person would be wise to look out of the window before believing him.
Furthermore, in that North Korean dictatorship of Kim Jong -Un the people trapped and forced to exist in his brutal ,cruel and oppressive tyrannical regime are the people who Jong –Un has severely limited to an extreme much knowledge and wisdom from the outside world . The is because that fiendish and murderous tyrant, Kim Jong –Un, is very much afraid of ideas of which the people of North Korea might find out about. As the idea’s and philosophy of John Locke
For example, Locke views the people living under any genuine government are people retaining their individual rights after a government has been established. In other words, the securing of their rights – the protection of the life, liberty and property of all – is the sole legitimate purpose of government. If a government begins to abuse those rights it then becomes tyrannical and the governed [the people] retain the right to overthrow that government and replace it with one that does its job properly.
So that heinous tyrant, Kim Jong –Un , greatly fears such ideas and keeps the people under his hideous control of his tyranny in and the darkness of much limited information .
Which all this keyboarded about John Locke and limited information to the people of North Korea, it should not be forgotten that this dictatorship that is also a personality cult which has the people mind programmed to fanatically revere it’s tyrant Kin Jong -Un . The people trapped and forced to exist under the burden of this brutal, cruel, oppressive and murderous tyranny have been thoroughly brainwashed to love Kim Jong -Un with a unquestioning, blind, devoted love that an extremely fanatical pagan might love by a pagan for a pagan god. The people refer to him as “Our Great leader” and “Our Dear leader.” Likewise, they ,very much ,praise him and even bow down to his image. This mind control of the people is hideous, sad and tragic. This wicked tyrannical mind control may be answered by the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson who had declared “I have sworn upon the alter of God eternal hostility against all every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” Moreover,, the people of is national Kim Jong –Un/ Marxist cult and allowed no outside sources of information and all this regime “school’s”‘ are propaganda and indoctrination centers . This last point is a reminder the Thomas Jefferson had a good and valid idea when he had written “Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppression of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.”
Lydia Church says
Yes!
And you know, like I say… I am skeptical of so much.
But I call it like I see it in an unbiased way.
The other day they had this item on the news with Trump and North Korea, all the progress, how those detainees were finally released, and all the good news. Then someone said something about how Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for all of this. But (not that he’s humble… mind you, and we all know the shooting from the hip, loose cannon swaggar of his….), but he humbly shrugged it off and said something about how all he really wants is ‘world peace.’
Now you know, that is the right attitude! (Now I don’t believe in any false ‘world peace’ before the return of Christ, but I’m just looking at this from another angle.)
And just consider, if pope francis had uttered those words!
I can just hear it now:
“Oh! He’s so humble!” “What humility!” “What a noble leader!” “Uh! How ‘big’ of him!” and so on…as they fall all over him, panting and fawning all over him adoringly like the doting devotees that they are! Yet he is a traitor of the highest rank!
But all they can do is insult and criticize and rail against Trump, nit pick and fault find… etc. I know full well that he is not perfect. And I know what ‘lies beneath’ so much regarding world events that look like something else on the surface. But all things considered, people are so blinded now by a double standard and I’m sickened by it! All these are good break throughs and the media won’t give him an ounce of credit for it. All they can do is attack him. Now it is all part of their dog and pony show, but the common people should give credit to him for this, but they are so gullible!
gravenimage says
+1
WPM says
Churchill was beat up by the press in England in the early to mid 1930s till what he said came true. He was made out to be a big mouth bully who was not as smart or polished ,a vulgar man ,who should bow down to the smartest man in the room Chamberlain. I rather have a man full of personal short comings ,some super size ego , if he believes and fights in his heart for his country. If he puts his countries safety, above what the other countries leaders , the MSM, and our enemies think. Our enemies do not have to like us ,but they should respect and have some fear of us.
gravenimage says
Grimly true. He did not back down, though–and won the fight against Fascism.
USA Ret. says
Darn Straight, and this is much different than is taught in the ivory towers of liberal universities!
sidney penny says
“Trump knows this, and so against all the advice of the learned analysts”
and politicians around the world (including our “allies”)
is Japan safe now?
sidney penny says
“The eighth-century Catholic bishop who advised the last Christian holdouts in Spain to surrender to the Muslim conquerors and “enjoy many benefits alongside the Moors”
The Hindu leaders in India who counseled their people to surrender to the Muslim invaders because “if we unite and go forth to fight, we will be killed”
The Christian city that greeted its new Muslim leader with great joy and pomp, hoping to turn away his wrath — only to be told, “You have two options. Either die or convert to our religion””
….
The Hindu leaders in India past and present are the worst appears of the jihad force.
sidney penny says
appeasers
Raja says
The president besides being his own man has applied common sense, which is not commonly available.
Foolish ideas of Marxism can only be counterproductive.
I follow this dictum in everyday life: NEVER GIVE IN TO BULLIES. Bullies can be ignored (AND TAKEN SERIOUSLY) but cannot be appeased.
A wise man once said:
If your child comes up with you to a store and demands candies (out of habit) and squats on the floor of the shop or outside the store on your refusal to buy one (for good reasons). The best course of action would be to leave the child in the same place and walk off (with a watchful eye). He would never ever repeat the mistake of bullying or tantrums. If you give in to his/her demands you will end up giving in forever. In all likelihood, the child will be a spoilt brat and a bully like Islamic terrorists and Islamists. The opposite effect can be rewarding- a well behaved child/human.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
cowards apartheid Americans under savage mad devil trump, are now bowing down to North korea after threat to destroy it when they have realised that North korean Leader could respond with Hydrogene bombs to obliterate that fascist evil entity. They now turn to Iran,which will be more devastating by releasing all Hydrogene bombs towards the evil united states and its master the fascist evil zionist state of Israel. Let them try it and see what will follow. wicked idiots!!
boakai ngombu says
itace, the mullahs will be destroyed with TRUTH bombs. … one, being, that they are not godly … rich, but not godly
gravenimage says
Ibrahim itace muhammed is completely unhinged from reality.
Chand says
Robert Spencer says :The U.S. President who counseled against the Zionist project because of Muslim opposition, asking Zionist leaders: “Are you trying to start a holy jihad?”
Yes. That is exactly what happened. Jihad is upon us.
gravenimage says
I see the repulsive apologist for Muslim savagery Chand is demanding that we throw civilized Israel under the bus. Appeasement will not end the Jihad against us, as he well knows–it will only embolden Jihadists further.
gravenimage says
The lesson of Korea is not applied often enough
………………….
Yes–having strong leaders is very important.