Historical Comparisons Between Bush and Hitler

Re “Schroeder Hangs On in Germany,” Sept. 23: President Bush proves he can win elections--in Germany he pulled a rabbit out of the hat for the party opposing his Iraqi adventure. How did he manage that? By scaring people about his threats of unilateral military action. Now, why would Germans be especially sensitive about replacing diplomacy with war? Maybe they learned through bitter historical experience that a strong nation’s unilateral military imposition of its dominance reaps only the whole world’s enmity.

Martin J. Kotowski

Sherman Oaks

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Even Bush’s most outspoken critics can agree that he is not Adolf Hitler. So what is the harm in comparing their policies? The remark allegedly made by German Justice Minister Herta Daeubler-Gmelin was neither slanderous nor necessarily untrue. At most she suggested that we keep an eye on the president’s tactics.

Was Daeubler-Gmelin so far off? After all, our country does keep voting for increased socialism and denial of individual rights. And as Hitler needed a scapegoat, so we now have the terrorists and Saddam Hussein. The framework is forming; the next move is up to us.

Brian T. Wolf

Reseda