Posted on 02/18/2006 8:58:24 PM PST by Theodore R.
Churchill, Hitler, and Newt by Patrick J. Buchanan Posted Feb 19, 2006
You can always tell when the War Party wants a new war. They will invariably trot out the Argumentum ad Hitlerum.
Before the 1991 Gulf War, Saddam had become "the Hitler of Arabia," though he had only conquered a sandbox half the size of Denmark. Milosevic then became the "Hitler of the Balkans," though he had lost Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia, was struggling to hold Bosnia and Kosovo, and had defeated no one.
Comes now the new Hitler.
"This is 1935, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is as close to Adolf Hitler as we've seen," said Newt Gingrich to a startled editor at Human Events.
"We now know who they are -- the question is who are we. Are we Baldwin or Churchill?"
"In 1935 ... Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini intimidated the democracies," Newt plunged ahead. "The question is who is going to intimidate who." Yes, a little learning can be a dangerous thing.
A few facts. First, when Hitler violated the Versailles Treaty by announcing rearmament in March 1935, Baldwin was not in power. Second, Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald quickly met with Il Duce to form the Stresa Front -- against Hitler. Third, when Mussolini invaded Abyssinia in October 1935, Baldwin imposed sanctions.
But Churchill did not wholly approve.
Abyssinia, said Churchill, is a "wild land of tyranny, slavery and tribal war. ... No one can keep up the pretense that Abyssinia is a fit, worthy and equal member of a league of civilized nations."
As late as 1938, Churchill was still proclaiming the greatness of Il Duce: "It would be a dangerous folly for the British people to underrate the enduring position in world history which Mussolini will hold; or the amazing qualities of courage, comprehension, self-control and perseverance which he exemplifies."
But back to the new Hitler.
The Iranians, said Newt, "have been proactively at war with us since 1979." We must now prepare to invade and occupy Iran, and identify a "network of Iranians prepared to run their ... country" after we take the place over.
"I wake up every morning thinking we could lose two major cities today and have the equivalent of the second Holocaust by nuclear weapons -- this morning."
What about diplomacy?
"We should say to the Europeans that there is no diplomatic solution that is imaginable that is going to solve this problem." Newt's reasoning: War is inevitable -- the longer we wait, the graver the risk. Let's get it over with. Bismarck called this committing suicide out of fear of death.
My own sense of this astonishing interview is that Newt is trying to get to the right of John McCain on Iran and cast himself -- drum roll, please -- as the Churchill of our generation.
But are the comparisons of Ahmadinejad with Hitler and Iran with the Third Reich, let alone Newt with Churchill, instructive? Or are they ludicrous? Again, a few facts.
In 1942, Hitler's armies dominated Europe from the Pyrenees to the Urals. Ahmadinejad is the president of a nation whose air and naval forces would be toasted in hours by the United States. Iran has missiles that can hit Israel, but no nuclear warheads. Israel could put scores of atom bombs on Iran. The United States, without losing a plane, could make the country uninhabitable with one B-2 flyover and a few MX and Trident missiles.
Why would Ayatollah Khameinei, who has far more power than Ahmadinejad, permit him to ignite a war that could mean the end of their revolution and country? And if we were not intimidated by a USSR with thousands of nuclear warheads targeted on us, why should Ahmadinejad cause Newt to break out in cold sweats at night?
Currently, the "nuclear program" of Iran consists of trying to run uranium hexafluoride gas through a few centrifuges. There is no hard evidence Iran is within three years of producing enough highly enriched uranium for one bomb.
And if Iran has been at war with us since 1979, why has it done so much less damage than Khadafi, who blew up that discotheque in Berlin with our soldiers inside and massacred those American kids on Pan Am 103? Diplomacy worked with Khadafi. Why not try it with Iran?
Yet, Newt and the War Party appear to be pushing against an open door. A Fox News poll finds Iran has replaced North Korea as the nation Americans believe is our greatest immediate danger. And a Washington Post polls finds 56 percent of Americans backing military action to ensure Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon.
Instead of whining about how they were misled into Iraq, why don't Democrats try to stop this new war before it starts? They can begin by introducing a resolution in Congress denying Bush authority to launch any preventive war on Iran, unless Congress first declares war on Iran.
Isn't that what the Constitution says?
Before we go to war, let's have a debate of whether we need to go to war.
Mr. Buchanan is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of The Death of the West, The Great Betrayal, and A Republic, Not an Empire.
OK, Buchanoids, since Pat brought up Hitler does that make his points (?) worthless?
First Bob Novak...and now Pat Buchanan...you really know how to get my blood boiling...LOL
I see Pat's picked a title for his autobiography.
I am sorry to say about 10 years ago, I joined his brigade.
I dropped it after reading ITS first book!
Look on the bright side, you got to use that German you learned in high school! :)
Pat's response: "Can't I be both?"
I'll say. Starting with the jets that were diplomatically "downwardly diverted" by our pilots in the Gulf of Sihdra, and the diplomatically-delivered ordnance on Kaddafhi's residence (and French embassy).
Oh, yeah, and the recent diplomacy that got Kaddafhi's attention while the U.S. led coalition just happened to be knocking the bejesus out of the Iraqi Republican Guards. Yep, "diplomacy" works wonders.
Buchanan once again demonstrates his anti-Semitism and isolationism. Notice how he says, in effect, that Iran's not really a problem. With a mere "poof" Israel or the U.S. could destroy Iran. No problem, no threat. He's been a rabid opponent of the Iraq war and wouldn't unilaterally attack bin Laden. His military expertise is even worse than his political.
Mmmkay, Pat. Isn't it about time you snuggled up with mother Sheehan? The Islamonazis (oh, my bad, they aren't as efficient as the nazis - yet) won't mind if you pause the reach arounds for a bit. Maybe your buddy Saddam can help you out (it might help if you mention something about the lack of BLTs)? Best of luck.
Buchanan's evolution into spokesman for the do-nothing party throwing darts at the "War Party" is a great disappointment.
He's a crank like Jimmy Carter
With this article, he proves himself blind as well as dense.
He's such an isolationist that he's isolated himself from reason.
Whatta maroon.
The jihidist of whatever stripe are the same kinda cat as Charlie Manson, and the jihad is their very own Helter Skelter.
Charlie wanted to start a war and be the kingpin who picks up the pieces afterwards. Bin Laden and Ahmedinijad and all the other demons are cut from the same cloth ... only they might soon have a BOMB, if they don't don't already.
Thinking they don't mean to do what they say they will is a fool's wish, and could lead to the death of millions.
I enjoyed your post, keep it up.
At times he acts like both.
Pathetic patster. He'd rather permit Iran nukes.
I did notice that, and it reminded me of that Steve Martin routine called How to Make a Million Dollars and Never Pay Taxes.
"First, make a million dollars. Second, when it's time to pay the taxes..."
Yeah, Pat, we could nuke EVERYONE into oblivion, and guess what? Somehow we still have problems. I know if YOU were in charge we'd be nuking anyone who looked at us funny (or Israel, just because). But the real world is a little more complex than you warped mind seems to understand.
Man, I was all up for some of those fevered Buchanoids and they don't seem to be bitin' tonight, on sane people are up, oh well...
Left to right: Human child; Buchanan
OK, all true, but does Ahmadinejad know?
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