Reason Writers Around Town: Shikha Dalmia on Keeping Newt Undercover

It takes hard work to evoke sympathy for Iran's odious regime, notes Reason Foundation Senior Analyst Shikha Dalmia in her latest column at The Daily. But Newt Gingrich and his fellow GOP presidential maybes proved up to the task during their Saturday debate in South Carolina.

"After accusing the Obama administration of being dumb about Iran, the former House speaker proceeded to say just about the dumbest thing of the night — and arguably the entire debate season. (Yes, even dumber than Rick Perry's now-immortal "Oops"). 'We need maximum covert operations to block and disrupt the Iranian program, including taking out their scientists, including breaking up their systems,' this alleged brainiac opined. 'All of it covertly, all of it deniable.'"

Gingrich obviously doesn't believe he'll become president, his post-debate poll bump notwithstanding. If he did, he wouldn't put himself in the position of having to deny in office something that he had already admitted he'd do if elected, Dalmia writes. But his foreign policy views have problems deeper than incoherence. They are downright frightening.

"America, however, doesn't need a Dr. Strangelove to deal with Iran's mad mullahs," she points out.

Read the whole thing here.