Two big problems that won’t go away (July 22)
By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune
Here is the problem we’ll likely face in too many more years: Despite President Obama’s efforts at establishing “Kumbaya” diplomacy with North Korea and Iran, both those countries continue to develop nuclear arms, and probably will use them.
Iran and North Korea are tight in the grip of totalitarian governments who show no sign of weakening.
The Iranians help support terrorist organizations who target U.S. assets and allies.
The North Koreans sink a South Korean ship with no apparent effect on themselves.
What will happen when Iran attacks Israel with a nuclear weapon?
What will happen when North Korea fires one of its missiles toward Seoul?
These questions occurred to me on rereading some excerpts from “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich,” by William L. Shirer, which tells the story of Nazi Germany and tries to explain why a great civilization imploded into totalitarianism and terror.
One thing Iran and North Korea have in common with Nazi Germany is worship of their leaders. Iran’s powerful Islamist Shiite ayatollahs and North Korea’s Kim Jong-il demand and usually get total obedience from their subjects, even to the point of enforcing that obedience with murder squads and secret police. How like the Nazis those two countries are in that respect.
Iran and North Korea also maintain big standing armies, as did the Nazis once arms-manufacturing began again in Germany in defiance of the treaty ending World War I.
We also see the use of propaganda in those countries, as it was used by the Nazis.
Remember that Britain entered World War II not because Germany attacked British soil, but because the Nazis attacked Poland, a British ally.
Remember that we sent troops to Korea because the north attacked the south.
Will we go to Israel’s aid if the Iranians attack there? Can there be any doubt?
