Interview with a real freedom fighter

This interview with the last surviving leader of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, Marek Edelman, is a fascinating read. A few points I'd like to highlight. First, this bit here, about the Spanish withdrawal from Iraq:
"Please don't tell me what the Spanish did. So what? Do you seriously think that it will save them from further attacks? No. The weak just get punched in the head. Pacifism lost a long time ago."
I think it's interesting that Bin Ladin's "weak horse/strong horse" rhetoric has been adopted by his most vehement opposition. Of couse, he was probably right, but that doesn't make the fact any less interesting. Of course, I have to point out the French sodomy reference as well:
"France used to be a great power, culturally and intellectually. And what happened to them? They didn't want to fight for their own democracy, they thought it wasn't really their war [in 1939]. And they lost everything, because when you bend over and take it - even once - then you're finished. And what's that whole talk about the difference between American politics and European politics? There is no other politics but international democratic politics. If we withdraw from Iraq now, what do we have left? Cosying up to Iran and Saudi Arabia? ..."
Read the whole thing, it's worth it. He really does have tremendous insight, even where I disagree with him.

(Link via Pejmanesque)