"Appeasement? Europe, thy name is Cowardice."

Mathias Dopfner, CEO of German publishing firm Axel Springer, has written an editorial about Europe's role in the war on terror. Snopes has a translation up. Here's a snippet:

Only two recent American Presidents had the courage needed for anti-appeasement: Reagan and Bush.

His American critics may quibble over the details, but we Europeans know the truth. We saw it first hand: Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War, freeing half of the German people from nearly 50 years of terror and virtual slavery. And Bush, supported only by the Social Democrat Blair, acting on moral conviction, recognized the danger in the Islamic War against democracy.

I was pleased to see that Snopes managed to present this piece without comment.

For what it's worth, I share Mr. Dopfner's concern. More to the point, I'm worried whether America's efforts will be enough. The terrorist threat is insidious, subtle. And there's no clear front--except, now, Iraq.

We cannot lose Iraq. But if more nations don't realize the danger and come to our aid, I fear that we will.