David Warren: http://www.davidwarrenonline.com/Comment/Mar04/index205.shtml has an interesting article making the case that continental Europe really hasn't changed very much since World War II.

That weakness and appeasement that led to its near destruction in World War II runs as strong as ever. This article http://www.coldfury.com/Sasha/archives/004682.html#004682 is even more explicit on the matter.

Personally, I don't know what to think. During the early days of World War II (1940 specifically) many people referred to the war as "Churchill's war" as if somehow Britain had started it. Today you hear about "Bush's war" as if Bush had something to do with 9/11. Al Qaeda has been attacking countries, especially the US, since 1992 when Bill "unilateralist" Clinton was President.

Appeasement doesn't work. You'd think the deaths of 40 million people in World War II would have made that clear. Apparently not. The argument shouldn't be whether we use the current strategy or no strategy at all. The argument should be which of several potentially effective strategies will work. Closing ones eyes and putting hands over ones ears and saying "I see and hear no evil!" is not a strategy. It's capitulation.

I am, frankly, shocked by continental Europe's political reaction and in particular the electoral choices of the Spanish.

As one Spanish person who changed his vote at the last second put it, "Maybe the Socialists will get our troops out of Iraq, and Al Qaeda will forget about Spain, so we will be less frightened."

What more can be added to that?