In the 1960s Europe made a fateful decision.
In the ’50s, Europe and Israel were friends. Britain supplied main battle tanks and the French sold light tanks and fighter bombers. They saw in Israel an embattled outpost of Western ideals in a blighted, backward Middle East.
Then, in the ’60s, before the Six Day War, the French reneged on their promises to deliver already-paid-for fighters and missile boats. The UK became reluctant to sell their latest tank.
America stepped in to fill the gap, but they too suffered a collapse in enthusiasm for the plucky Jewish state. No one should ever forget the treachery of Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, withholding promised supplies during the worst of the Yom Kippur War. (Nixon eventually overruled Kissinger and provided the desperately needed supplies via strategic airlift.)
Why?
Why did the West tilt away from Israel and towards Arab countries?
I’m feeling lazy on this blistering hot Monday in the middle of August, in Taipei, so let me jump straight to results and conclusions.
This embrace of all things Arab clouded the vision of the West. It demonized Israel and raised the ‘oppressed Arab’ to the level of ‘noble savage’. Arabs became the cuddle toy of the liberal elite, and Islam gained entry into North American and European societies.
If the West had done it differently and embraced Israel, we would not be facing the great societal struggle with Islam that we face today. We would not be seeing an eminent takeover of Europe by Islam. America wouldn’t be seeing the massive growth of mosques throughout the country. Mohammed would not be the most popular baby name in Sweden.
Now, my antipathy towards Islam does not – and should not – be directed at Muslims. Muslims are people like you and me. They are a people shaped by a religion of hatred. They are a product of societies warped by Islamic racism and misogyny.
So, even while we fear Islam, we should be careful to reach out to the Muslim and be a blessing to them.
Here’s another video by Erick Stakelbeck, and he’s titled it Islam’s Assault on the West. Enjoy.
I thought that the segment on Winston Churchill, at the end, was particularly insightful.
