Andrew Sullivan has become such a crude polemicist that he long ago ceased to be worth reading. Sullivan now challenges the authenticity of an Ayatollah Khomeni quotation cited by Norman Podhoretz in “The case for bombing Iran” and in World War IV and congratulates himself for his willingness to concede an error when he makes one, “however innocently.” We documented a good example of Sullivan’s peculiar relationship to factuality as well as the peculiar nature of his innocence last year in “The Daily Ditch.”
At Contentions Norman Podhoretz has now posted a persuasive response to Andrew Sullivan regarding the authenticity of the Khomeni quotation. Sullivan responds:
Maybe other Iran specialists can weigh in on whether the original alleged Khomeini quote is legit or bears in any way on the current debate about attacking Iran.
Maybe!
UPDATE: David Frum noted Sullivan’s post on Podhoretz and compiled an impressive set of errors left uncorrected by Sullivan here. (Thanks to Noah Pollak.)
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