NATO’s new mission
From Melanie Phillips’s Diary:
A splendid piece by the former Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Avnar, 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. But as he says, there are many who don’t see it that way:
As you can imagine, many people in Europe and in NATO were shocked by the idea of inviting Israel, although they took as a natural fact the establishment of closer cooperation with Japan and Australia, which indeed is a big change for NATO. Some people from Israel also objected to having Israel as a formal ally in NATO. But treating Israel as if it were not an integral part of the Western world is a big mistake that will affect our ability to prevail in this long war against jihadism. I think it is in our mutual interests to have Israel as a formal ally…
The West cannot fight this radical tide without Israel. Israelis might decide that for their own security they had better follow the traditional policy of relying just on themselves. But Islamic extremism is more a tsunami than a tide, and in front of this powerful force we better stand together. In Europe, more and more people better understand the Israeli position each day. If you agree that the world faces a global threat, it is necessary to organize a strong response to this threat. For me, Israel is a vital part of the Western world. Israel is becoming more and more important to the Western world for stability, prosperity, and freedom…
I don’t believe in appeasement against terrorism. I don’t believe in negotiation with terrorism. I believe in the necessity to fight against terrorists. It is a very serious mistake to negotiate with terrorism. Terrorists should be frightened and defeated, and this is possible. No other policy exists for me.
It’s not often one hears a member of the political or intellectual class articulate so clearly and unequivocally such a moral, progressive and eminently realistic position.
