Happy World War II Day

On this date in 1939, Germany invaded Poland. The attack was done because Germany claimed Poland had attacked one of its radio stations-that was its official reason. Unofficially, it was a bit more complex. Prior to the invasion, Britain and France had promised that if Germany invaded Poland, it would be an act of war on an ally (kinda like a pre-NATO alliance). When the border was crossed, the war was automatic. A few days later, Russia invaded Eastern Poland as well (at the time, Russia and Germany were quasi-allies after having signed a Non-Aggression Pact which promised they wouldn’t go to war with each other. What is the supreme lesson of this day in history? There are several. Let’s ask Winston Churchill.

There was no moment in these sixteen years when the three former allies, or even Britain and France with their associates in Europe, could not in the name of the League of Nations and under its moral and international shield have controlled by mere effort of the will of armed strength of Germany.
-Winston Churchill, Memoirs of the Second World War

It is difficult to find a parallel to the unwisdom of the British and the weakness of the French Governments, who none the less reflected the opinion of their Parliaments in this disastrous period. Nor can the United States escape the censure of history. Absorbed in their own affairs and all the abounding interests, activities, and accidents of a free community, they simply gaped at the vast changes which were taking place in Europe and imagined they were none of their concern.
-Winston Churchill, Memoirs of the Second World War

By the autumn of 1933 it was plain that neither by precept nor still less by example would the British effort for disarmament succeed. The pacifism of the Labour and Liberal Parties was not effected even by the grave event of the German withdrawl from the League of Nations. Both continued in the name of peace to urge British disarmament, and anyone who differed was called “warmonger” and “scaremonger.” It appeared that their feeling was endorsed by the people, who of course did not understand what was unfolding.
-Winston Churchill, Memoirs of the Second World War

Until the middle of 1934 control of the events was still largely in the hands of His Majesty’s Government without the risk of war. They could at any time, in concert with France and through the League of Nations, have brought an overwhelming power to bear upon the Hitler Movement, about which Germany was profoundly divided.
-Winston Churchill, Memoirs of the Second World War

Don’t believe that anyone in the world will hinder me in my decisions [to invade Austria and Czechoslovakia]! Italy? I am quite clear that they are with Mussolini: with Italy I am on the closest of terms. England? England will not lift a finger for Austria…And France? Well, two years ago when we marched into the Rhineland with a handful of battalions [breaking the 1991 Treaty of Versailles]-at that moment I risked a great deal. If France had marched then we should have been forced to withdraw….but for France it is too late!
-Adolph Hitler, 1938

Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous states have fallen into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of NAZI rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight in the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air; we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing-grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender; and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and liberation of the Old.
-Winston Churchill, Memoirs of the Second World War

It’s worth noting that last month, in response to Russia’s invasion of Georgia (a nation that NATO members had individually promised to protect, and did not), the United States signed an agreement with Poland in which the U.S.(like Britain and France before) promised that if Poland was invaded by Russia (again), the U.S. would defend Poland. In response, Russian leaders openly declared that Poland was now a legitimate military target.

Also on this day….

• 9/1/90 An emergency meeting of the Arab League in Cairo calls for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait, pay reparations, and allow foreigners to leave Iraq and Kuwait (note, this is but one of many diplomatic efforts that show Saddam was not given a free pass by the world to invade Kuwait).
• 9/1/91 Dr. David Kay leads a UN WMD inspection team into Khidhir Hamza’s apartment and takes a box of secret files detailing the Iraqi nuclear program. The inspectors immediately realize the value of the find and leave the building in haste. They are blocked by Iraqi IIS guards, and for 3 days they are prohibited from leaving until they returned the secret plans for Iraq’s nuclear bomb and factory. (note: this violation of the cease-fire agreement terms (among many others) effectively re-authorizes the hostilities between Saddam’s Iraq and the world.  A peace agreement is permanent, but a cease-fire is only valid until one side or the other violatesit.  Then, it is invalid, and no longer effective).
• 9/1/92 [1993 World Trade Center bomber ] Ramsi Yousef (aka “Rashid the Iraqi”) arrives in United States
• 9/1/93 Fall 1993 Dr. Ayman Al Zawahiri is in Somalia acting as field commander of the “Afghan Arabs” and coordinator between those fighters, Iraqi fighters, Iranian intelligence, and the various Somali warlords….all against the US/UN forces.  (note: the Clinton Admin verified this through captured Al Queda members and included it as item #4 in the Clinton Admin indictment of Osama Bin Laden.  Later, documents captured in Afghanistan and Iraq further confirmed this example of ties between Saddams regime and Al Queda.   This violation of the cease-fire agreement terms [among many others] effectively re-authorizes the hostilities between Saddam’s Iraq and the world).
• 9/1/93 [Fall 1993] “The Iraqis organized the heavy weapons, mainly the dual-use 23mm guns and RPG-7s, which were used primarily against the U.S. helicopters. The Iraqis were also instrumental in running the external perimeter, blocking repeated U.S.-U.N. attempts to relieve the beseiged force in the defensive perimeter. The Arab “Afghans” were in command of some of the Somali blocking forces as well. Reports conflict as to the extent of Iraqi participation in the actual fighting. A few [Iraqi] Saiqah Commando troops were definately present, giving instructions to [Somali] SIUP fighters.”  (note: this violation of the cease-fire agreement terms [among many others] effectively re-authorizes the hostilities between Saddam’s Iraq and the world. 
• 9/1/93 By the Fall of 1993, a large number of Iraqis moved into the area of the Red Sea mountain range — in Madabay in Khawr Ashraf, Port Sudan, in the region of Dalawat on the Red Sea near Hala’ib, and the city of Tawker in region of Karnakanat. The Iraqis brought into these installations high-tech equipment and computers, missiles, defense systems, anti-aircraft systems and radar systems. (note: this violation of the cease-fire agreement terms [among many others] effectively re-authorizes the hostilities between Saddam’s Iraq and the world. 
• 9/1/97 Iraq blocks UNSC access to presidential site (note: this violation of the cease-fire agreement terms [among many others] effectively re-authorizes the hostilities between Saddam’s Iraq and the world. 
• 9/1/01 British authorities later released a document indicating, among other things, that Bin Laden had warned around this time that he was about to launch a major attack on America. The British document, based on telephone intercepts and information gleaned from interrogations in Europe since the attacks in New York and Washington, reveals that orders were sent to a number of the network’s key operatives to return to Afghanistan by September 10.
• 9/1/01 September 1, 2001—ATTA goes to the American Airlines ticket counter at LaGuardia Airport in New York and purchases a ticket for an American Eagle flight from New York to Portland, ME that day. He also pays $1300 cash for an advance ticket for a one-way flight from Boston to Los Angeles on American Airlines Flight 11 on September 11th. When asked if he is coming back, says “No.” See Hijack Boss was in NY