President Bush chose the gathering of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Prague to deliver a little reminder to the Europeans about their history of appeasement, and it suggests the president has done his homework since the last time the uncomfortable question of the fate of Czechoslovakia was brought up. That was back in October of 2001, when Prime Minister Sharon had politely, but in no uncertain terms, warned Mr. Bush and the rest of the world that he would not permit the Jewish State to be sacrificed the way Czechoslovakia had been on the eve of World War II. At the time, Mr. Bush was said to be upset. His press secretary, Ari Fleischer, popped up to declare that Mr. Sharon’s remarks were unacceptable to the president. We’re glad to see that Mr. Bush has sought the matter through and can see that the lessons of Munich have a lot to teach us all.

Not that everyone has learned. The French president, Jacques Chirac, may be unable to protect the Jews of France. But he is nonetheless determined to undermine Mr. Bush, chiming in with yet more remarks about how America must get permission of the United Nations before it can go to war with Iraq. Compared to Monsieur Chirac, even his predecessor, Edouard Daladier, looks strong (at least the historical evidence suggests that Daladier knew he had made a ghastly mistake at Munich). Saddam isn’t Hitler, of course, but the European instinct for appeasement is in full flower, and Mr. Bush was right to call him on it in the capital of the country that was once sacrificed in hopes of gaining an easy peace. Mr. Bush could do worse than to ring up Jerusalem and thank Mr. Sharon for bringing the matter up a year ago.