While I agree that talking to Ahmadinejad is certainly a waste of an argument, I don’t think Bollinger’s conduct was laudatory in the least. To Mr. Ahmadinejad, the only audience that matters is the one back in the Middle East; not our silly kangaroo press here in the States.

They can boast to their Mideastern compatriots and fellow travelers, “You see, they are weak. They don’t have longevity and they’re going to pull out.”

Instead of showing up the ridiculousness of Ahmadinejad’s claim that there are no gays in Iran (something over-covered by our lopsided press), they will probably show clips of the 20-something thunderous applause he received from Columbia University’s student body.

Our soldiers and our objectives in Iraq and Afghanistan may suffer tremendously for this piece of “academic” propaganda on the ground.

The fact that Bollinger denounced the Iraninan dictator at the 11th hour to his face does not impress me. To my way of thinking, he almost didn’t have a choice. Congress and the people of the US were calling for his head and a special investigation into his university. His berating introductory comments seemed to be a simple case of covering his own behind.

Although, Neo, you could be very correct and I be very wrong on this subject. Perhaps Bollinger did invite Ahmadinejad to berate him and to show America just how dangerous he is. I am skeptical given Columbia’s recent history, but it could very well be the case that Bollinger, however misguided and ineptly, was trying to provide a service for Americans.

Maybe we should just let those people handle the dictators while we go to Disneyland.

I also suspect that the whole Invite-Ahmadenijad-be-NICE to him routine we’ve been getting is part of the Left’s strategy to build up opposition against going to war with Iran, or pre-emptively taking out their nukes. They want their ducks all in a row when Code Pink, Answer and all the rest of them take to the streets to protest our “aggression” against Iran.

These days, I try hard not to swing such a broad blade, but I have to agree that Matt’s comment is all-too-accurate about certain elements within the liberal “movement.” They posture, and they assume an affect, but it’s mostly a lot of nonsense. Does any reasonable person believe that it is possible to be rude to an individual who willfully supports and encourages burying women up to their chests, and then throwing stones at their exposed heads until they are killed? The idea that propriety should be observed with such an individual, and that such observation somehow empowers us and diminishes him, is absurd. Yet I see such inanities thrown around with the confidence once reserved for serious thought.

COALITION FORCES ARREST IRANIAN QUDS FORCE OFFICER

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Coalition forces arrested an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps — Quds Force officer in Sulimaniyah today.

Contrary to recent diplomatic initiatives, this individual has been involved in transporting improvised explosive devices and explosively formed penetrators into Iraq. Intelligence reports also indicate he was involved in the infiltration and training of foreign terrorists in Iraq.

The Quds Force is a covert action arm of the Iranian government responsible for aiding lethal attacks against the Iraqi government and Coalition forces.”

I’m sayin’ it’s kinda like inviting Hitler to speak in London while the Wermacht is killing British Tommies at Dunkirk.

I’d rather sympathize with off-chance thunderbolt (or a spray from a semi-automatic) to A-jad’s head on a street, than with this disgrace.