Joe Pitts: “nearly a century ago, George Santayana wrote, ``Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'' This is…”

“nearly a century ago, George Santayana wrote, ``Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'' This is a big world we live in, but if there are two countries in this world that should remember the consequences of coddling tyrants, they are France and Germany. But these two countries seem to have forgotten. The world is watching as Saddam Hussein amasses weapons so powerful they could wipe out whole armies, whole cities and, given time, perhaps even whole nations; and we know he will use them because he has done so before. But France and Germany seem to be doing everything in their power to foil our plans to stop him before it is too late. Is it because these two countries have seen so much blood that they just cannot stand the thought of another war? Or is it because so much of Saddam's technology has come from Germany? Perhaps it is because France is Saddam's third largest trading partner. France and Germany's recklessness has even risked the safety of an ally and threatened the cohesiveness of NATO itself, although I am glad to say they have come to their senses there. It is time for Germany and France to decide where they stand. Are they on the side of tyrants, or are they on the side of freedom? There is no other choice.”