While America Slept

In the 1930’s, two powerful leaders played international chess. The fate of the entire world would be determined by the outcome of the game. The first leader wanted peace, so he continued to allow his opponent to advance without active opposition. He believed that "no one really wants war", so if he just avoided confrontation, the situation would resolve itself. He justified the harm his actions caused to those who were caught, and then harmed, in his opponents advances by telling himself and others that he was avoiding the ultimate conflict.

As it turned out, he was wrong. He completely failed to understand that his opponent wanted world domination, and if war were part of the cost of achieving that goal, then war was an acceptable option. So his opponent took full advantage of every backward step, and used each of them to strengthen his forces for the day when war would come. And when the opponent believed that there was sufficient strength in those forces, he began that war himself.

So the first leader not only failed to avoid war, he gave his opponent the time to create the war under the most unfavorable circumstances possible for his own nation, and, as it turned out, the entire world.

Both men went down in history. The first leader was Neville Chamberlain of England, and the second was Adolf Hitler of Germany.

Today there are also two powerful forces playing international chess with the fate of the entire world hanging in the balance. The first force is centered in America, and the second is centered in Islam.

The American leadership is following the same course as Mr. Chamberlain. They continue to assure everyone that "no one really wants war", so if we just avoid confrontation the situation will resolve itself. And they look the other way to avoid seeing the harm being done to those who have come under the domination of Islam.

Their judgment is as wrong as Mr. Chamberlain’s was.

Islam wants world domination, and if war is part of the cost of achieving that goal, then war is not only an acceptable option – it is the preferred option. Islamic leaders take full advantage of every backward step America takes, using each as an opportunity to strengthen Islam.

The latest attacks in Egypt and Libya are a sadly perfect example of this reality.

Attacking an American embassy and killing an American ambassador is an act of war. American soil was invaded and American non-combatant lives were lost.

Our response?

We apologized for some private citizen who made a movie that offended the sensibilities of Moslems. We are passing a federal spending bill that continues to give American money to both Libya and Egypt. We are silently watching as the President of Egypt calls for the prosecution of the American citizen who made the movie, as if hurt feelings over a film justified the violence and the murders.

The Islamic community is watching, and gauging our response. And they are happily using our oil money, and our foreign aid, to continue strengthening themselves for the confrontation that lies ahead.

A confrontation that they not only welcome, but seek.

We would be wise to wake up to that truth. Or in future years, history will record that the fate of the world was decided while America slept.