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Unterpleichfeld, Germany

Living Dangerously ... With Iran

It's nice to know that Fareed Zakaria shows common sense in dealing with Iran ("The Year of Living Fearfully," Sept. 11). Actually, Iran's Islamic neighbors are the ones who should live most fearful-ly. Remember Chernobyl? Getting rid of spent nuclear fuel is not an easy task. How does Iran propose to do it? Bury it in the desert or dump it in the Persian Gulf? These questions should cause alarm throughout the Middle East. Besides, Iran threatens to wipe Israel off the map, but if the navigation system on its nuclear weapons is faulty, a misguided weapon could wipe out southern Lebanon, Damascus, even the Palestinian territories. And if a nuclear weapon hits Israel, the radioactive fallout would kill hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, as well as poisoning their water supply. These scenarios should inform the way we contain Iran. However, George W. Bush is on a crusade against "Islamofascism," and an election is coming up. Odds are that there will be an October surprise--bombing missions against nuclear targets in Iran. What will be the reaction in the Middle East then?

William Joseph Miller

Los Angeles, California

Fareed Zakaria argues that iran in 2006 is not comparable in terms of strength and power to the Germany of 70 years ago, but maybe he should compare today's Iran to Germany a few years before that. In 1933, France should have said: "The new Reich chancellor is the man who wrote 'Mein Kampf.' This man cannot be tolerated in our vicinity. Either he disappears or we march!" But it didn't do that. France left Germany alone until it was well armed, better than it was, then Germany started the war. And how about learning a lesson from Hitler himself: "The most dangerous period is that of rearmament. Then we shall see whether France has statesmen. If she does, she will not grant us time but will jump on us." Today's question is whether the United States has statesmen.