I have opinions of my own - strong opinions - but I don't always agree with them.
George H. W. BushRead
Appeasement does not work. As was the case in the 1930s, we see in Saddam Hussein an aggressive dictator threatening his neighbors.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Appeasement towards aggressive leaders only emboldens their behavior.
In this quote, George H. W. Bush warns against the strategy of appeasement, suggesting that yielding to the demands of aggressive dictators, like Saddam Hussein, only serves to encourage further aggression. He draws a parallel to the 1930s, indicating that history has shown such approaches are ineffective in preventing conflict and can lead to greater threats to peace.
Themes
AppeasementDictatorsThreatAggression
In practice
Example use cases
During a political debate to illustrate the risks of concessions to hostile nations.
More from George H. W. Bush
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It's too much show business and too much prompting, too much artificiality, and not really debates. They're rehearsed appearances.
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I will never apologize for the United States of America - I don't care what the facts are. Said after 'Vincennes' shot down an Iranian Airliner.
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