N-Pod: First, They Came for the Hitlers

Norman Podhoretz responds to arguments that we should consider deterrence when it comes to Iran.

First, I want to say that I think the attitude expressed by Fareed Zakaria represents an irresponsible complacency that I think is comparable to the denial in the early '30s of the intentions of Hitler that led to what Churchill called an unnecessary war involving millions and millions of deaths that might have been averted if the West had acted early enough. […]

Let me respond to that. You know, similar arguments were made about Hitler in the early '30s, and it appalls me that this kind of attitude can still prevail after what we should have learned from the words of despots.

I'm confused: Not wanting to bomb Iran makes someone like Hitler because they're vegetarian or because they're passable landscape artists? Because not wanting to bomb Iran (at least not right now) could mean you don't want to carelessly inflame an already unstable region, which is sort not like Hitler at all...

As if that weren't scary enough: Podhoretz is a foreign policy adviser to Rudy Giuliani.