It is often said that history does not repeat, but it rhymes. The phrase is usually credited to Mark Twain, though its exact origin is uncertain. Still, the wisdom rings true. Events may not copy themselves exactly, but the patterns come back in new forms, offering warnings to those willing to listen.
In the 1930s, Hitler tested Europe one step at a time. He met hesitation and delay, and each time he gained more ground. Appeasement was meant to preserve peace, but instead it gave him space to grow stronger. By the time the world realized the danger, the price of resistance had multiplied beyond measure.
Today, Vladimir Putin follows his own pattern of probing and pushing, destabilizing neighbors and daring the world to stop him. At home, figures like Donald Trump show how a leader who disregards rules and laws can corrode democracy from within. Both are bullies in different arenas. Both thrive when their abuses are tolerated.
And both remind us that silence or delay is not safety, it is surrender. When despots and demagogues behave like spoiled children with the world’s most dangerous toys, silence is not safety. We must neutralize their tactics, raise the political and economic costs, and deny them the power to make aggression pay.
Those steps should be taken by accountable national leaders working with allies, and by citizens of those nations within their nations, not by those narcissists who trade spectacle for statecraft.
Insist on firmness that is principled, lawful, and collective, so the bully cohort across our nations and world learns that provocation never pays.
The Danger of Delay
Putting up with bullies always leads to more of the same. Each unchallenged act teaches them that their behavior works. They see hesitation as weakness, never as maturity. What looks like restraint to us looks like an invitation to them. Delay does not buy peace, it buys time for the aggressor.
Neutralization Over Tolerance
Neutralizing aggression does not require reckless escalation. It requires consistent, sharp, lawful responses every time.
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Intercept and escort intruding aircraft, and make the evidence public.
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Expose propaganda with facts before it takes root.
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Answer cyberattacks and hybrid operations with defenses and proportionate countermeasures.
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When civilians or allies are directly threatened, act firmly under clear rules of engagement.
The principle is simple. Every act of aggression must cost more than it gains.
Why This Matters
Democracies cannot afford to mirror the lawlessness of their challengers. But they also cannot afford to let violations slide. The path forward is principled firmness. Bullies are not stopped by words or patience. They are stopped when their tactics fail every single time.
The Choice Before Us
We face the same dilemma today that others faced in the 1930s. Do we delay and appease, or do we act early and firmly? Doing nothing may feel easier in the moment, but it stacks up danger for the future.
The stakes are high: national sovereignty, democratic freedom, and the credibility of institutions at home and abroad. Leaders must have the courage to act sooner rather than later. Citizens must demand it of them. Better sooner than too late.
Cheers! Sláinte! Na zdravie!
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