Apr 27 2006
Israel, Europe and NATO
Tim at the Black Kettle caught an outstanding piece by Jose Maria Aznar, the former Prime Minister of Spain, posted at the Institute for Contemporary Affairs. Here’s a taste from Tim’s summary (or go here for the whole enchilada).
[Aznar] reminds us of what a tragic day it was for both Spain and the defence of the free world when the Spanish buckled under the threat of terror and replaced him by an appeasement-minded government. Avnar is one of the few present or former world leaders who really gets it. NATO, he says, needs to articulate a new mission: to combat jihadism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and concentrate its efforts upon fighting terror. Obvious. In pursuit of this aim, he says, it should open its doors to those nations that share its values and invite Japan, Australia, and Israel to become full members. Obvious: but only to some. Israel, as he says, may be in the Middle East but it is defending western values, and its half-century defence against the Arab enemies who have ceaselessly tried to exterminate it has now mutated into a defence against the Islamist extremism which has taken over the Palestinian cause. [My emphasis]
