The Moose offers some thoughts about the Iranian Hitler.
Today, it is the essence of foreign policy sophistication to suggest that we apply the old Cold War containment strategy to the Iranian situation. It worked against the Soviet Union, didn't it?
That is true, up to a point. In the eighties, Reagan implemented "containment plus" when he supported anti-Soviet insurgencies around the world. He also challenged the Cold War notion of Mutually Assured Destruction by advancing missile defense and questioning the traditional approach toward arms control.
But, the difficulty with applying the containment strategy to Iran is that it is governed by a madman who might not necessarily be governed by the normal rules of statecraft. That unfortunate reality is evident in this interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Der Spiegel .
Here is a brief excerpt,
"SPIEGEL: Of course we are entitled to write about the findings of the past 60 years' historical research. In our view there is no doubt that the Germans -- unfortunately -- bear the guilt for the murder of 6 million Jews.
Ahmadinejad: Well, then we have stirred up a very concrete discussion. We are posing two very clear questions. The first is: Did the Holocaust actually take place? You answer this question in the affirmative. So, the second question is: Whose fault was it? The answer to that has to be found in Europe and not in Palestine. It is perfectly clear: If the Holocaust took place in Europe, one also has to find the answer to it in Europe.
"On the other hand, if the Holocaust didn't take place, why then did this regime of occupation ..."
This time the world has no excuse. Ahmadinejad is not being deceptive about his motivations. He is a modern Hitler who is quickly consolidating power,
"President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is trying to consolidate power in the office of the presidency in a way never before seen in the 27-year history of the Islamic Republic, apparently with the tacit approval of Iran's supreme leader, according to government officials and political analysts here."
Those who are addicted to the strategy of containment should think again. When does containment become appeasement? -- | 
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