What you're saying here is what you criticize the NYT of doing; which is it? Cede territory to the bully or not? You can't "have your cake and eat it too", right?

If you recall, Hitler made the same promises- then took Austria and part of France; is that what you would've recommended then, as well? It seems so. Let the bully have what he wants, and he'll never bother you again- he is honest, right?