A Deranged Dotard

Norman Podhoretz, sometime editor of Commentary, and father of the ineffable JPod, holds forth on how the exigencies of "World War IV" and the prospect of a dhimmified Europe (he calls it "Finlandized") mandate the bombing of Iran.

When Sarkozy starts castrating reindeer with his teeth, I will call Europe "Finlandized."

I've always found Norman annoying. He created a cottage industry pondering the world-historical significance of being chased by black kids in Brooklyn and elbowing his way into the seventh circle of New York Jewish literati, and then established a neocon franchise as a hard-liner. This approach made some sense until the demise of the Soviet Union, but Norman has declared World War IV and never looked back.

I don't think bombing Iran is even in the interest of Israel, which is a major preoccupation of Norman's; it is even less so in that of the United States. Yes, these are two different questions.

Intellectuals playing with guns: a dangerous game. Superannuated Zionist intellectuals playing with missiles: here dwells madness.