Merkel, Hitler and Ahmadinejad

Here's an interesting letter in the Observer today:

Why Merkel is wrong

To equate, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel does, backward Iran with Hitler's technologically advanced Third Reich is absurd ('Iran faces UN nuclear crisis', last week). Iran, unlike certain democracies, has never committed aggression. As for the Iranian President's verbal wish to see the end of Israel, the Chancellor should acknowledge the West's (and Germany's) baleful historical roles in the Middle East. The creation of Israel was facilitated not just by Empire (the Balfour declaration) but, more importantly, by the Holocaust (the wronged party was recompensed at the expense of an innocent third party).

Even-handedness requires that we aim for a nuclear-free (and WMD-free) Middle East. Iran would forgo enriching uranium and Washington, in return, would agree to a 'no first use' nuclear weapons policy.
Yugo Kovach
Twickenham