Can This Get Much More Absurd???

Those that have even a remote inkling of German politics have got to know that the new Chancellor, Ms. Merkel, is not really a very dynamic person. She's a tad reserved, certainly isn't one like Schroeder, the ex-chancellor, certainly enjoyed his evenings out with the boys. She's got a PhD in Physics, so she's got some academic background, and she appears to be what she is: someone competent who has decided to be a political figure. She fought here way through the party, was the protege of Kohl, who would affectionately refer to her as my "eastern gal" (I'm taking liberties with the translation) and who more or less cleared her path to run the conservative party here (which is in many ways left of the Democrats in the US, but that's another story entirely) and win elections.

Which she did nicely against some rather crude campaigning.

And she's done, so far, a decent job: her approval rating is around 80%, but that needs to be discounted because people are just so damn happy to have gotten rid of Schroeder.

Anyway, the picture I'm trying to paint of her is that of an astute professional politician. But that's all she is: no one expects the equivalent of the kneeing at the concentration camp in Poland ala Brandt, or the statesmanship of Schmidt, let alone the political savvy and manipulations of Kohl (who could be compared to Lyndon Baines Johnson in terms of his political savvy).

Get the idea? We're talking major middle-of-the-road policy, straight-and-narrow, no adventures, no risks type of major politician.

So...

Remember when she criticized the Iranians, compared their president right now to Hitler in the 1930s? It's a legitimate beef, to say the least, and it's a fairly astute analysis. But she didn't call for him to dismembered by crazed Bavarians or wild-eyed Saxons.

Made no difference: one of the Iranian government spokesmen - I originally wrote spokesperson, but like a woman would have such a job in Iran??? - immediately said that women politicians should think before opening their mouths. Which, given the (official) Iranian attitude towards women, is about all you could expect to hear. Well, it's gone further now. This is only in German, as far as I know (can't be bothered to google on it right now), but this is the gist of it:

This is in German, but this gives the gist of it as well.

The communications chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards compares her - Merkel - to Hitler. Not only that she is inexperienced and weak, but "she sees herself in childish dreams of being as powerful and great as Hitler, so that she as chancellor can rule the world."

The guy saying this is Commander Seyyed Massoud Jazayeri.

He goes on and says she's merely a lackey of the US and Israel. And she's got a zionist background, so what can you expect?

Hey Seyyed, here's a hint (like he's gonna listen): keep what you learned from your $4.99 correspondance course in psychology to yourself, you're only proving what people already think: that the people in charge in Iran are a bunch of loons.

But they're a bunch of loons that are really trying hard to get nuclear weapons.

It seems like it can't get much more absurd - what I am trying to say is that Merkel is really the last politician in Germany to harbor any sort of world domination fantasies - than it already is.


But I'm afraid that it is only going to get more absurd as time goes on and the irrationality of the Iranians becomes more and more apparent. I can only hope that it goes so far that even the left in Germany recognize that there is no point in trying to talk to people like this at all - my peacenik friends will, of course, disagree - and that there will come a time to act.

So unfortunately, yes, it can get much more absurd. It already is.