They preferred to talk instead. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was afraid to fight, too, and preferred to appease Adolf Hitler. That only encouraged Hitler to plunge the world into World War II, resulting in the deaths of millions of people. The United States did not want to get involved in the war and preferred to talk peace with the Japanese. While they were still talking peace, Japan launched its sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.
Appeasement never does the appeaser any good.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo talked tough the other night and I applauded her for it. No ransom, she declared. But that was also what President Estrada said before his emissaries started secretly paying ransom to the Abu Sayyaf. The Chinese-Filipinos are favorite targets of kidnappers because they prefer to pay ransom rather than cooperate with the police. We cannot blame them so much, however, as some of the kidnappers are policemen themselves.