Iran, North Korea - the New Nazis

It's a little shocking to me to hear a three-star general officer fall back on the Nazis to refer to the impending danger of Iran and North Korea. It seems a bit contrived - what, is he worried about the Missile Defense Agency losing a billion or so?

Iran and North Korea are making large investments in long-range missiles that could strike the United States and its allies, he said. It is an era of development that [Lt Gen Trey] Obering likened to Nazi Germany's industrial build-up before World War II.

"We were telegraphed what the Nazis were doing and nobody heeded those warnings," Obering said. "We see that same belligerent dissent today with Iran."

Among the top items on Obering's wish list are improved Navy sea-based missile defense programs, advanced multiple kill vehicles - the destructive end of missile defense interceptors - new space satellite sensors to detect and track launches, and a mobile missile shield known as the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI).

Finding the money for all that could be a challenge, missile defense analyst Victoria Samson told The Times this month.

You think? Perhaps $8-9 billion a year over the past seven years isn't enough to research and develop a national missile defense system? You couldn't kill the long-failing Airborne Laser program and save a few dollars?

Neither Iran or North Korea can afford to think about taking over their respective neighbors, let alone several nations as the Nazis did. Perhaps the general's analogy is off-base - not in the ballpark, maybe not even the same sport. Does Godwin's Law apply to people making statements in newspapers and talkshows?

Comments

[Citizen Tom]

I think you missed the point of the comparison. Hitler initially succeeded because nobody believed him. When evil men state their intent to do evil, you may as well assume they are telling the truth.