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History teaches inaction will lead to disaster

By Scott Allen

Scott Allen is retired associate director of the U.H. Law of the Sea Institute.

Since the end of the Cold War the major threat to our nation has been from rogue states. These are of two kinds: those that sponsor their own terror, and those that harbor terrorist organizations. These two seek to hide in the corners of international law that have not yet been fully defined. The first hope that by using covert agents they can avoid retribution.

The second hope they can divert blame to non-state entities such as al-Qaida. In both cases the United States has repeatedly hewed to traditional international law, holding rogue states accountable for what goes on within their borders.

Last Sunday the Advertiser ran two anti-war articles by UH instructors. Michael Jones' contribution was most informative, but drew the wrong conclusion. Carolyn Stephenson's included only elements that supported her conclusion.

The history of the 20th century should have taught us that inaction in face of threat leads to catastrophe. The League of Nations failed to confront aggressor states in the interwar years, and fell into irrelevance. In the immediate prewar years and months, so-called statesmen counseled negotiation, patience, and "peace in our time." They led the world into tragedy.

Today, unlike the 1930s, America is not locked in isolationism, but the United Nations is frozen into inaction by statesmen who counsel negotiation, patience, and peace in our time.

Appeasement is the simple name for this policy. If appeasement prevails, then history has taught us what to expect, and it bodes ill for the entire planet — and especially for this small, isolated island state.