ahmadinejad and hitler

so what do you think about the whole Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia business? Me, I think it's a fantastic opportunity to try to understand, to take a peak into the mind of a man so terrible feared by our nation. Though he should have chosen better phrasing, I applaud John Coatsworth, acting dean of Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, for the sentiment that he would invite even Hitler to speak because "academic give-and-take," even conversation with a hated dictator, is vital to any well-rounded education.

Having recently seen The Last King of Scotland I am suddenly aware that even the vilest dictators have a human side, and are probably surrounded by people that love them. From the few interviews and articles I've read about Ahmadinejad he appears to be a well educated man that openly says what he means. In most people those are admirable qualities; I guess that's just not true for world leaders. I am certainly no expert on foreign policy or nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, but I say that Columbia is in the right by inviting him to speak--he was going to be in New York anyway.

Now, who is the next ASI speaker?