The lessons of the past

The New York Post has published a column by history professor Arthur Herman concerning the Lebanon ceasefire agreement.

August 16, 2006 -- Historians will look back at this weekend's cease-fire agreement in Lebanon as a pivotal moment in the war on terror. It is pivotal in the same sense that the Munich agreement between Adolf Hitler and Neville Chamberlain was pivotal in an earlier battle against the enemies of freedom. The accord in October 1938 revealed to the world that the solidarity of the Western allies was a sham, and that the balance of power had shifted to the fascist dictators.

Resolution 1701 shows that, for the time being at least, the balance has likewise shifted to the terrorists and their state sponsors. Like Munich, it marks the triumph of the principle of putting off until tomorrow what needs to be done today. Like Munich, it will mean not peace in our time, but a bigger war in our future.
(New York Post)

Ed Morrissey over at Captain's Quarters sees the willingness of the Iranians to reconsider their stance on uranium enrichment as a sign that the cease-fire agreement is something other than a victory for Islamo-fascism.

I hope that Morrissey is right, but the Iranians have been stringing along those negotiations in a way that gives me little hope. It is more likely that Dr. Herman will appear the prophet when all is said and done.

Hat tip to Power Line.