On September 30, 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain arrived back in England after signing the Munich agreement with Germany. Adolf Hitler had signed an agreement saying the following:
“We are determined to continue our efforts to remove possible sources of difference thus to contribute to assure the peace of Europe.”
Neville Chamberlain said the following:
We, the German Führer and Chancellor, and the British Prime Minister, have had a further meeting today and are agreed in recognizing that the question of Anglo-German relations is of the first importance for two countries and for Europe.
“We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German Naval Agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again.
“We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted to deal with any other questions that may concern our two countries, and we are determined to continue our efforts to remove possible sources of difference, and thus to contribute to assure the peace of Europe.”
“My good friends this is the second time in our history that there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honor. I believe it is peace in our time.”
Winston Churchill was less than impressed:
I do not grudge our loyal, brave people, who were ready to do their duty no matter what the cost, who never flinched under the strain of last week – I do not grudge them the natural, spontaneous outburst of joy and relief when they learned that the hard ordeal would no longer be required of them at the moment; but they should know the truth. They should know that there has been gross neglect and deficiency in our defences; they should know that we have sustained a defeat without a war, the consequences of which will travel far with us along our road; they should know that we have passed an awful milestone in our history, when the whole equilibrium of Europe has been deranged, and that the terrible words have for the time being been pronounced against the Western democracies:
“Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting.”
And do not suppose that this is the end. This is only the beginning of the reckoning. This is only the first sip, the first foretaste of a bitter cup which will be proffered to us year by year unless by a supreme recovery of moral health and martial vigour, we arise again and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time.
Now, President Barack Obama with the help of John Kerry is once again announcing peace in our time.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/iran-nuclear-deal-reached-5th-day-talks-20993376
Today, that diplomacy opened up a new path toward a world that is more secure – a future in which we can verify that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful, and that it cannot build a nuclear weapon.
John Kerry tweeted from Geneva: “Agreement in Geneva” “First step makes world safer. More work now.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not impressed:
https://www.facebook.com/OfirGendelmanpmo/posts/504665979640236
“What was achieved last night in Geneva is not an historic agreement; it is an historic mistake.
Today the world has become a much more dangerous place because the most dangerous regime in the world has taken a significant step toward attaining the most dangerous weapon in the world.
For the first time, the world’s leading powers have agreed to uranium enrichment in Iran while ignoring the UN Security Council decisions that they themselves led. Sanctions that required many years to put in place contain the best chance for a peaceful solution.
These sanctions have been given up in exchange for cosmetic Iranian concessions that can be cancelled in weeks. This agreement and what it means endanger many countries including, of course, Israel. Israel is not bound by this agreement.
The Iranian regime is committed to the destruction of Israel and Israel has the right and the obligation to defend itself, by itself, against any threat. As Prime Minister of Israel, I would like to make it clear: Israel will not allow Iran to develop a military nuclear capability
I pray they got this right. I fear that is very unlikely. We are depending on firm negotiating skills from two men who have never demonstrated such skill in the past. We are depending on Iran keeping its word regarding a subject for which it has been notoriously untrustworthy.
Perhaps it is just me, but right now Barack Obama looks a lot like Neville Chamberlain and Benjamin Netanyahu looks a lot like Winston Churchill. I really hope I am wrong, because the consequences of Iran getting a nuclear weapon could result in even more carnage than World War II, as unimaginable as that seems.
TDM