Seventy years ago this month, Adolf Hitler began seizing the assets of German Jews. He had waited until the summer Olympics in Berlin were finished and the world had seen the might of the Third Reich. Already, Hitler had established concentration camps for "undesirables" and forced many Jewish professionals out of their jobs. He had also harassed Catholics and Protestants who dared speak out against his racist polices.
The parallels between the rise of fascism in pre-World War II Germany and the rise of Islamic fascism today are startling. And just as it was in the 1930's, the world is refusing to confront the growing danger.
Iran, a nation committed to wiping Israel off the map, is defying the United Nations by refusing to obey the nuclear disarmament treaty. Hitler defied the League of Nations and rearmed, creating a fierce military threat while openly advocating the diminishment of Jews and "Aryan racial purity." If Iran manages to obtain nuclear weapons, it, too, will become a menace to the entire world.
But many do not believe that. In fact, a recent Harris Poll taken in Europe shows that 30% of the 10,000 people surveyed believe the USA is the world's greatest threat to stability. Just 26% think Iran is the greatest danger to world peace.
But the most unsettling situation is here in the United States. According to polls taken in the 1930's, as many as 80% of Americans were against confronting Hitler at that time. Only Pearl Harbor caused public opinion to shift.
But today, five years after 9/11, many Americans still do not understand the worldwide Jihad and buy into the false premise that there is no linkage between what is happening in Iraq, the policies of Iran, the murderous actions of al-Qaeda, and the lethal anti-Jewish strategy of Hamas and Hezbollah.
While there are certainly rivalries and differences among all the Islamic fascists, their goals are very similar: Kill Jews and damage America.
So why is history repeating itself? Why can't we Americans wise up and see the Islamic fascist threat? I blame the news media first, and irresponsible politicians like Howard Dean second. The hatred the committed left-wing press has for President Bush is almost unprecedented. The liberal media is obsessed with Bush and devalue him 24/7. This means that even when the President is correct on policy, the Bush haters will not admit it. They have succeeded, especially overseas, in convincing millions of people that Bush is the world's greatest threat, not the fanatical Muslim jihad.
How dangerous is that? Then, you pour Governor Dean on the fire. He and his far left cadre actively undermine the war on terror. I can't read his mind, but if Ms. Cleo is still in business, I'm asking her if Dean actually wants the U.S. to lose in Iraq. I am betting he does as long as Bush is in power.
The Iranian Mullahs, Osama, Hezbollah and the rest of the racist killers well understand that America is a divided nation. In the new book "The Looming Tower," it is well documented that bin Laden preached openly about America's lack of resolve. Time after time, the Islamic fascists have attacked; time after time, the USA and world have failed to respond with a knockout punch.
And that is the crux of this matter. Americans are certainly entitled to debate the wisdom and effectiveness of the current campaign to defeat Islamic fascism, but defeat it we must. For if we don't, it is just a matter of time before more of us lie dead in the streets. Like Hitler and his evil ambitions of seven decades ago, the Jihadists of today are not going to stop until we make them stop.
Somebody tell Howard Dean.
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