The Argentine defence
Sir: Much could be written about the recent history of Argentina, and doubtless some of it would be very harrowing and gruesome. But to suggest, as does Nicholas von Hoffman (The castrati of the left', 6 June), that Argentina is a neo-Nazi state is so monstrous as to recall the Nazi dictum about 'The greater the lie. . .' Unless, that is, one is prepared to accept an argument along the lines: 'Anti-semitism exists in Argentina; anti-semitism existed in Nazi Germany; therefore Argentina is Nazi.' Such an argument, of course, 'proves' that every country in Europe is Nazi too. To be fair to von Hoffman, he appears to have no first-hand knowledge of Argentina, and to be merely repeating Timerman's line. And it is always easy to express strong opinions upon subjects about which one knows practically nothing. Incidentally a very un-Nazi touch, this Timerman's sayings and writings are reported fairly dispassionately in the Argentine press.
N. T. Buckle St George's College, 1878 Q Argentina
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