In his article for the British newspaper The Telegraph, Middle East analyst Jake Wallis Simons urged Western leaders to reconsider their policy of appeasement of aggressors, warning that such a strategy only brings the world closer to a possible global conflict.
Simons expressed outrage at the White House's recent calls for a de-escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. US President Joe Biden said that Haniya's assassination did not increase Israel's security. However, Simons argues that such calls for de-escalation only help the aggressors, as appeasement is not an effective way to avoid conflict.
"A truly insane person would want war, but for thousands of years we have known that appeasement is not the way to peace. For some reason, the Western world has forgotten that if you avoid conflict, sooner or later it will come to you on the terms of the enemy," he writes.
Simons criticizes the West for, despite its military superiority, it has lost its moral compass and combat readiness. The West supports Israel's right to self-defense, but when Israel responds to attacks, it is accused of waging war or genocide. "For many Israelis, calls for "de-escalation" look like a request to put a knife to one's neck," the analyst notes.
Simons also expressed concern that Iran's possible response to the elimination of Hania could be "harbingers" of a global conflict, although it is more likely to be a limited strike. He recalled how Israel's attempts to conduct a restrained policy in the past led to significant problems, such as the invasion of the Gaza Strip on October 7 last year.
"We should finally wake up. No one wants war, but how do you react when war is already trying to come to you?” – summarizes Jake Wallis Simons.
