JordanT: Couple of things. First, I agree not to let irrational fears decide our policies, and am personally against pre-emptive action, either directly by US forces or by proxy (Israel).
Second, you should go back and check your history vis-a-vis Germany and the 1930s. Hitler had not “invaded” anyone during the period of 1936 – 1938. He was essentially given Austria (during the Anschluss) and Czechoslovakia (which had a strong, modern military and could have stopped Hitler in his tracks had he tried to invade).
It was the unwillingness of Britain and France to back up their “negotiations” with any sort of military action that emboldened Hitler to finally call their bluff and invade Poland.
In point of fact, the French military was BOTH quantitively and qualitatively superior to the Germans during the 1940 campaign. What the French suffered from was lack of will and martial spirit. Hitler could have been cut off at the knees as early as 1937 – 38 had either the British or the French had the balls to do so. Thus, Winston Churchill’s reference to WWII as the “unnecessary war”.
