The first time as a tragedy, the second time as a farce:
From the outset of his term, the new president’s policies exhibited a volatile mixture of nationalism and radical Islamic social engineering. While touting Iran’s nuclear program, he has promised to redistribute wealth to the poor and curb capitalists (without yet delivering on either promise).
Ahmadinejad’s language has been replete with contempt for religious and ethnic minorities, xenophobia, anti-intellectualism, rejection of compromise, and readiness for violence in dealing with the political opposition and minorities, including Kurds and Arabs. His performance is disturbingly reminiscent of those of European fascist leaders of the 1920s and 1930s.
The rise of another crazy-talking, eastward-facing, national socialist trying to haul his country away from the West and towards a quasi-mythic past. Quick, somebody call the League of Nations United Nations Security Council.
Who gets to play Chamberlain this time? More importantly, I wonder who’s going to play Churchill, or Roosevelt?
(H/T to PW for the IHT link.)
Chamberlain — Russia and the US State Dept
Churchill — the Israeli PM, who has a pocketful of his own Roosevelts.
Good point, G – The Israelis at least are under no illusions as to the threat they face.
Existential: Not just for philosophy majors any more.
I don’t think Russia’s playing Chamberlain this time, rather they’re reprising their role of 70 years ago, cut a deal with the nutjobs so they don’t go after you. Doubt it will work this time either.
I don’t think there is a Chamberlain in this scenario, for the simple reason that Ahmadinejad isn’t willing to make agreements he has no intention of honoring.
He seems to be too dumb and/or arrogant to realize that if he would just shut up and agree with the Europeans there would be enough international pressure to keep Isreal from blowing up his toys. By the time it became clear that he didn’t actually intend to abide by the agreements it would be too late.
This is what fills me with hope for the situation. Ahmadinejad’s as looney as Hitler, but lacks the latter’s intelligence.
Hope your right. He certainly seems to have skipped that whole lesson on “Islamist with a human face.”