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What America, Britain and Israel Need To Wake Up To

Lorna Thomas - 1/2/2007

In July 2005, Tony Blair stated: 'September 11 for me was a wake-up call. Do you know what I think the problem is? That a lot of the world woke up for a short time and then turned over and went back to sleep.' While the unprecedented September 11 attacks initially gained America the sympathy of much of the world, America's 'war on terror' in Iraq has left the country and its leadership with a tarnished image.

Britain's involvement in Iraq resulted in a similar profile, helping to compromise Blair's role as Prime Minister.

Saddam Hussein was executed in December 2006, but this month was also the year's worst for the U.S. military in Iraq with around 100 deaths. At least 2,975 have died since the war began in March 2003. This number now exceeds the number killed on 11 September where there were 2,973 fatalities: 246 on the four planes, 2,602 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon.

As devastating as September 11 was, many Americans and Britons have been so preoccupied and focussed with the 'war on terror' in their own countries and especially in Iraq, that they are fast asleep to a potentially far greater looming threat to their security and freedom.

Germany assumes the EU Council presidency on 1 January 2007. Wolfgang Schäuble Germany's federal minister of the interior sees international terrorism (together with organised crime and illegal migration) as increasing threats to Europe's security.

If America and Britain have failed to win the war on terror, a strengthened and revitalised Europe is inevitably going to find grounds to step in to bring 'peace' including to the Middle East. Forces will include both German and Russian troops. Such shows of strength will have far reaching consequences for the free world, including for America and Britain - and Israel.

Germany's post-war constitution was changed to allow the use of armed force in international disputes. But when it was proposed that German troops be sent to Lebanon in August 2006, the implications of this caused controversy in Germany itself.

German newspapers on Wednesday aired a number of arguments for and against sending German soldiers to the Middle East, with the "burden of history" looming large.

"History is the past, but the history of the Holocaust belongs to the German present," said the Frankfurter Rundschau.

No German soldier should, even theoretically, "be brought into a situation where he has to aim his weapon at an Israeli", it added.

The Suddeutsche Zeitung said it was "astonishing" that politicians were discussing the idea, while Austria's Der Standard said it was "unthinkable" that the grandchildren of Holocaust perpetrators might find themselves shooting at the grandchildren of victims.' (Stephen Mulvey, BBC News Online 26 July 2006)

While Israel's Prime Minister Olmert welcomed the idea of German troops saying, 'There is at the moment no nation that is behaving in a more friendly way towards Israel than Germany' these words could come back to haunt him in the future.

There is rising neo-nazism in Germany, including in the former East Germany where anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism still exist and appear to be thriving. The far right National Democratic Party (NPD) with neo-Nazi comradeship won 12 seats in Saxony in 2004 and in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in 2006 capturing 7.3 percent of the vote.

On 21 January 2005, in Saxony's Parliament in Dresden, Holger Apfel, the deputy leader of the neo-Nazi National Party of Germany (NPD), condemned the British bombing of Dresden in February 1945, calling the World War II Western allies ``mass murderers'' and accusing the British of perpetrating a ``holocaust'' against Germans.

Former Justice Minister of Saxony and ordained priest and lawyer, Steffen Heitmann, was Kohl's surprise choice of candidate for the German presidency in 1994 elections. He was forced to withdraw after making remarks about Germany's past which were interpreted as an attempt to downplay Hitler's crimes.

His remarks have also been criticized as 'insensitive to women, Jews and foreigners living in Germany'. (Oct 12, 1993 New York Times) Should he gain influence, he could take Germany down a path that will have far reaching consequences.

Not only are extreme far right forces working in Germany which are troubling to moderate thinkers, but Russia has its own nationalistic supporters.

As the Russian bear rises from its hibernation, oil and gas supplies fueling its return to a dominant world force, Russia is an important player in Europe and its power will be increasingly felt in military terms.

Many Russians would be willing to follow a 'strong man' - if the popularity of the late General Alexander Lebed and presidential candidate is remembered.

His approach was 'People aren't given teeth just to chew with. They need to be shown from time to time. Strength makes the world go around.'
Argumenty i fakty, April 1995

'He who shoots first laughs last.' New York Times, January 17, 1996

His remarks demonstrating religious intolerance sent shock waves amongst religious groups. Lebed once told Senator Gordon Smith: 'We have no problems with religious freedom in Russia. We only have problems with Mormons and Jews.'

Tony Blair called September 11 a wake up call to the threat of terrorism. However, America, Britain, and indeed Israel, need to wake up and
realise the implications of a weakened America and Britain in the face of
stirring forces in Germany and Russia.

As nations that profess to worship the God of the Bible, maybe it is instead time for America and Britain and Israel to wake up to the fact of what repeatedly happened to the ancient nation of Israel.

Unless the lessons of history are learned, they are destined to be repeated.

Time and again when ancient Israel sinned against God and forsook Him and His Laws which govern relations between God and man and between fellow man, God began removing their blessings, progressively bringing greater punishments upon them including war, famine and pestilence, finally delivering them into captivity to their enemies.

In the future, rather than relying on or seeking help from allies or from former foes, America and Britain - and Israel - need to examine where they stand in terms of historical lessons of ancient Israel and seek help from the God they profess to worship.