Norman Podhoretz essay about Iran

This is a link to a May 30, 2007 essay by Norman Podhoretz found at OpinionJournal.com. The essay is called "The Case for Bombing Iran: I hope and pray President Bush will do it"
http://www.opinionjournal.com/federation/feature/?id=110010139

I read the first six paragraphs and the last two paragraphs. The position he takes is based on a premise I don't agree with, so I don't see value in reading more. The title alone is horrifying.

1. Mr. Podhoretz believes the September 11, 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center in New York was the opening salvo in World War IV (World War III was the Cold War). The war is between Islamofascists and 'us'.

He doesn't define 'us'. I may be against fascism, but I can't confirm I'm for Mr. Podhoretz' solution to fascism.

2. According to Mr. Podhoretz, Iran is the main center of Islamofascist ideology and the main sponsor of terrorism, which makes Iran an early front in World War IV.

I don't agree that Islamofascist ideology is centered on a specific country. All ideologies begin when groups of people feel they no longer have value, hope, opportunity, options, and a vision of the future. Even Christianity began with an oppressed people.
These conditions exist in many populations around the world. Even in countries rich in resources and opportunity there are isolated populations that don't benefit from the bounty.
That is where negative ideologies take root - anywhere.

3. To confirm that Iran is a dangerous nation bent on global domination, the essay references Ahmadinejad's quote that he'd like to wipe Israel off the face of the map.

I don't like Ahmadinejad, I think he's a provocateur and I think he has a religious agenda. In this case, though, I think his words are being taken out of context and misinterpreted. Most Arab Muslims (and later, most non-Arab Muslims) have always thought Israel should not have been created in the middle of Palestine. To wipe Israel off the face of the map, does not necessarily mean to kill all the Jewish people. I think it means to restore Palestine.
I don't disagree that anyone who is a Holocaust denier should not be trusted; their view of reality is warped. But, I don't think we should repeatedly use the same Ahmadinejad quote (that could be interpreted in different ways) as a justification for preemptive military action.

4. The final paragraph of the essay is a tribute to George Bush.

I think George Bush is the worst president in the history of the United States.


For those four reasons alone, I don't accept Norman Podhoretz' conclusions.

I'm still uneasy about Iran's aspirations, though.