Memo to Jonathan Dunn: World War II was not "the war to end all wars" as you stated in your op-ed last issue. That phrase was attached to World War I in a serious misjudgment of human nature and its human proclivities. The same outlook plagues today's peaceniks. What will become of pacifists like Dunn if America is one day forced to fight an enemy on our soil? Sadly, they will be the first to go down. The pacifist, armed only with his ideals of the innate goodness of mankind, will rush into the street to befriend the invaders and offer a peace accord. History is replete with the bloody demise of these trusting fools. The German-Soviet Non-aggression Pact of World War II was a pacifist's dream. Why fight the enemy when we can get along? Twenty million dead Russians tell us exactly why. Winston Churchill rescued Great Britain from this dangerous policy of peace through accord when he replaced Neville Chamberlain as Prime Minister. Chamberlain's attempts at peace with Hitler and Mussolini had weakened England's strategic position and set Great Britain on a course for destruction. Churchill's initiatives returned British foreign policy to one of peace through strength; America and the world are fortunate that he did. Churchill understood that eventually idealistic pacifism runs headlong into the brick wall of reality. The Russians learned it the hard way.

Did anyone else notice what was also missing from Dunn's analysis of World War II? If the murder of approximately 6 million Jews isn't a sufficient scenario for intervention, then there isn't one. Not mentioning the Holocaust may be an honest mistake on Dunn's part. Even at that, his gaffe perfectly illustrates the delusional nature of pacifism. The pacifist narrowly aligns his worldview to axioms such as "war is murder." The peace-driven ideologue can then look at the Second World War through his "war is evil" glasses and completely miss the horrific ramifications of the Holocaust. This outlook leaves no room for defense of value. I ask a question of the pacifist: Are you willing to die for your values, or is that considered too "romantic"? I stand ready to die for my flag. I will volunteer to go kill others who threaten the security of my country. Pardon my romanticism.

Daniel Williams

Senior