Ahmadinejad

[Soldier4Christ]

Iran leader condemned by university host 
Ahmadinejad calls remarks at Columbia 'an insult,' addresses Holocaust

As hundreds protested outside, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took the stage at Columbia University on Monday after a blistering introduction from the school's president, who said the hard-line leader was a dictator with preposterous beliefs.

Ahmadinejad smiled as Columbia President Lee Bollinger took him to task over Iran's human-rights record and foreign policy, as well as Ahmadinejad's statements denying the Holocaust and calling for the disappearance of Israel.

"Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator," Bollinger said, to loud applause.
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He said Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust might fool the illiterate and ignorant. "When you come to a place like this it makes you simply ridiculous," Bollinger said. "The truth is that the Holocaust is the most documented event in human history."

“You are either brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated,” Bollinger told Ahmadinejad about the leader’s Holocaust denial. “Will you cease this outrage?”

Bollinger, who had been criticized for allowing Ahmadinejad to speak, also described him as having a "fanatical mindset" for making statements like wanting Israel to be “wiped off the map.”

"Do you plan on wiping us off the map too?" Bollinger asked.

Bollinger also raised questions of academic freedom in Iran and asked, "Can you tell them and us why Iran is fighting a proxy war in Iraq?"

Stating his "revulsion at all you stand for" as Ahmadinejad sat nearby, Bollinger concluded by saying that "I doubt that you will have the intellectual courage to answer these questions — but your avoidance will be meaningful to us."

Bollinger ended his remarks to strong applause from the audience.

Iran leader's response
Ahmadinejad rose, also to applause, and after a religious invocation said Bollinger's opening was "an insult to information and the knowledge of the audience here."

"There were insults and claims that were incorrect, regretfully," Ahmadinejad said, accusing Bollinger of offering "unfriendly treatment" under the influence of the U.S. press and politicians.

He did not address all of Bollinger’s accusations directly, instead launching into a long religious discursion laced with quotes with the Quran before turning to criticism of the Bush administration and past American governments, from warrantless wiretapping to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"We are a peace-loving nation," he said to boos and cheers.

On the Holocaust, Ahmadinejad said he simply wanted more research about it, saying that chapter in history was abused as a justification for Israeli mistreatment of the Palestinians.

“Why is it that the Palestinian people are paying the price for an event they had nothing to do with?” Ahmadinejad asked. He closed his prepared remarks with a terse smile, to applause and boos, before taking questions from the audience. 

Ahmadinejad was asked about whether Iran sought the destruction of Israel.

"We love all nations. We are friends with the Jewish people," he said, adding that Palestinians must be allowed to determine their own statehood.

Asked by a moderator for a yes or no answer, Ahmadinejad said he should be free to answer as he wished.

On another question, Ahmadinejad appeared agitated and denied he was questioning the existence of the Holocaust. "Granted this happened, what does it have to do with the Palestian people?" he said.

But then he said he was defending the rights of European scholars, an apparent reference to a small number who have been prosecuted under national laws for denying or minimizing the Holocaust.

"There's nothing known as absolute," he said.

'Iran will not attack'
Earlier Monday, Ahmadinejad said Iran would not launch an attack on Israel or any other country, and he does not believe the U.S. is preparing for war against Iran.

“Iran will not attack any country,” Ahmadinejad told The Associated Press. Iran has always maintained a defensive policy, not an offensive one, he said, and has “never sought to expand its territory.”

Asked whether he beleved the U.S. is preparing for war, he responded: “That is not how I see it ... I believe that some of the talk in this regard arises first of all from anger. Secondly, it serves the electoral purposes domestically in this country. Third, it serves as a cover for policy failures over Iraq.”

In a 30-minute interview at a hotel near the United Nations, where he will address then General Assembly on Tuesday, Ahmadinejad struck a soothing tone. He said Iranian foreign policy was based on humanitarian concerns and seeking justice.

He reiterated his call for a debate at the United Nations on world issues with President Bush.

Referring to fears of a military campaign against Iran, he said: “We don’t think you can compensate for one mistake by committing more mistakes.”

The Iranian president, in what is believed to be his first comments on a reported attack Sept. 6 by Israeli bombers inside Syria, said the attack stemmed from Israeli expansionism and “it had nothing to with Iran.”

[Soldier4Christ]

It looks like Columbia President Lee Bollinger had a change in attitude. I wonder if the pressure on him was to great to deal with so he decided he better change in this manner. Maybe the pressure came from some of the many donors to this college?

[nChrist]

Brothers and Sisters,

I tried to listen to part of this and couldn't handle it.

This is a great embarrassment, and I immediately compared freedoms offered to a terrorist that have been removed from Christians.

Brother David hit the nail square on the head. This world isn't our home! Our Citizenship is in Heaven! We do have to live in this evil world for a short period of time, BUT our HOME, HOPE, PROMISES, and RICHES aren't in this world and we are NOT OF THIS WORLD! Amen Brother David, and THANKS! for putting things back into perspective for us.

Love In Christ,
Tom

   

[Shammu]

((Maria)) Don't let it get to you. This world is evil and not our home. America isn't your home, Canada isn't my home. Heaven is our home.

AMEN brother!!

[Shammu]

Ahmadinejad questions 9/11, Holocaust

By NAHAL TOOSI, Associated Press Writer Mon Sep 24, 7:29 PM ET

NEW YORK - Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defended Holocaust deniers and raised questions about who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks in a tense showdown Monday at Columbia University where the school's head introduced the visitor by calling him a "petty and cruel dictator."
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Ahmadinejad, appearing shaken by what he called "insults" from his host, sought to portray himself as an intellectual and argued that his regime had respect for reason and science. But the former engineering professor soon found himself drawn into the type of rhetoric that has alienated American audiences in the past.

He provoked derisive laughter by responding to a question about Iran's execution of homosexuals by saying: "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country ... I don't know who's told you that we have this."

At times, however, he drew audience applause, such as when he bemoaned the plight of the Palestinians.

But his first stab was at Columbia's president, Lee Bollinger, who said in his introduction of Ahmadinejad: "Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator."

Ahmadinejad said Bollinger's opening was "an insult to information and the knowledge of the audience here."

"There were insults and claims that were incorrect, regretfully," Ahmadinejad added, accusing Bollinger of falling under the influence of the hostile U.S. press and politicians.

Appearing agitated at times, Iran's president often declined to offer the simple answers the audience sought, responding instead with his own questions or long discursions about history and justice.

Bollinger opened by aggressively taking on Ahmadinejad's past statements about the Holocaust.

"In a December 2005 state television broadcast, you described the Holocaust as the fabricated legend," he said. "One year later, you held a two-day conference of Holocaust deniers."

Bollinger said that might fool the illiterate and ignorant.

"When you come to a place like this, it makes you simply ridiculous. The truth is that the Holocaust is the most documented event in human history," he said.

Ahmadinejad denied he had questioned the existence of the Holocaust.

"Granted this happened, what does it have to do with the Palestinian people?" he said.

But Ahmadinejad went on to say that he was defending the rights of European scholars, an apparent reference to a small number who have been prosecuted under national laws for denying or minimizing the Holocaust.

"There's nothing known as absolute," he said.

Asked why he had asked to visit the World Trade Center site — a request denied by New York authorities — Ahmadinejad said he wanted to express sympathy for the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Then he appeared to question whether al-Qaida was responsible, saying more research was needed.

"If the root causes of 9/11 are examined properly — why it happened, what caused it, what were the conditions that led to it, who truly was involved, who was really involved — and put it all together to understand how to prevent the crisis in Iraq, fix the problem in Afghanistan and Iraq combined," Ahmadinejad said.

Bollinger drew strong criticism for inviting Ahmadinejad to Columbia and had promised tough questions in his introduction. But the stridency of his attack on the Iranian leader took many by surprise.

"You are either brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated," Bollinger told Ahmadinejad about the leader's Holocaust denial. "Will you cease this outrage?"

Bollinger's introduction was "very harsh," said Hamid Dabashi, a professor of Iranian studies at Columbia University.

"Inviting him and then turning around and alienating and insulting an entire nation whose representative this man happens to be is simply inappropriate," Dabashi said.

In Iran, Ahmadinejad's appearance at Columbia could be seen on Arabic satellite channels and state television's Arabic-language service, but it did not appear on channels that broadcast in Farsi, the language of Iran.

During his prepared remarks, the Iranian president did not address Bollinger's accusations directly, instead launching into quotes with the Quran and criticism of the Bush administration and past American governments, from warrant-less wiretapping to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan.

He said the Holocaust has been abused as a justification for Israeli mistreatment of the Palestinians.

"Why is it that the Palestinian people are paying the price for an event they had nothing to do with?" Ahmadinejad asked.

He closed his prepared remarks with a terse smile, to applause and boos, before taking questions from the audience.

Ahmadinejad claimed women have tremendous rights in Iran and insisted his country does not believe in nuclear weapons.

Asked about his country's nuclear intentions, he insisted the program is peaceful, legal and entirely within Iran's rights, despite attempts by "monopolistic," "selfish" powers to derail it. "How come is it that you have that right, and we can't have it?" he added.

President Bush said Ahmadinejad's appearance at Columbia "speaks volumes about, really, the greatness of America."

He told Fox News Channel that if Bollinger considered Ahmadinejad's visit an educational experience for Columbia students, "I guess it's OK with me."

But conservatives on Capitol Hill were critical. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, said he thought the invitation to Ahmadinejad was a mistake "because he comes literally with blood on his hands."

Thousands of people jammed two blocks of 47th Street across from the United Nations to protest Ahmadinejad's visit to New York for the opening of the U.N. General Assembly session. Organizers claimed a turnout of tens of thousands. Police did not immediately have a crowd estimate.

The speakers, most of them politicians and officials from Jewish organizations, proclaimed their support for Israel and criticized the Iranian leader for his remarks questioning the Holocaust.

"We're here today to send a message that there is never a reason to give a hatemonger an open stage," New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said.

Hundreds of protesters also assembled at Columbia. Dozens stood near the lecture hall where Ahmadinejad was scheduled to speak, linking arms and singing traditional Jewish folk songs about peace and brotherhood. A two-person band nearby played "You Are My Sunshine."

Signs in the crowd displayed a range of messages, including one reading: "We refuse to choose between Islamic fundamentalism and American imperialism."

Ahmadinejad questions 9/11, Holocaust

[Shammu]

Excerpts from Ahmadinejad interview

By The Associated Press Mon Sep 24, 8:15 PM ET

• On international pressure to halt Iran's uranium enrichment program:

The problem relates to the point of view that a select group of countries have about the issue, which happen to be in an absolute minority, but they do possess political and military power, and they impose their opinion on international organizations. ... I'm referring to certain elements within the U.S. administration and one or two European countries perhaps, but the vast majority of the countries around the world have recognized our right (to peaceful nuclear energy) and have also supported it.

• On attacking Israel:

Iran will not attack any country. Our defensive strategy is not one that is offensive and based on attacks. ... Iran is a country that has resided in peace for over hundreds of years with its neighbors, and in fact it has never sought to expand its territory and to dominate other regions and areas. ... Most certainly, Iran is well qualified to protect itself and its territorial integrity but it will never attack another country.

• On the future of Israelis and Palestinians:

We believe that the future of Palestine should be decided by the people there. That is why our proposal is based on having, holding free elections, sort of a referendum collecting the votes of the people. That is to allow the Palestinian people to choose for themselves.

• On accusations that Iran provides weapons to Iraq and Afghanistan:

Why would we want to do that? Is our weapons the reason for the dispute over U.S. policies in Iraq? This would really be inappropriate for the U.S. We're friends with both Iraq and Afghanistan. Insecurity in Iraq and Afghanistan undermines our own initial security.

• On prospects for a change in Iraq after U.S. presidential elections:

We believe that there is a humane way of approaching the problem in Iraq, and fixing it in a quick fashion, and we're ready to support that. It doesn't matter who the other side is. What matters are the Iraqi people who are losing their lives.

• On Iraqi and American casualties in Iraq:

It saddens us that people lose their lives in Iraq. We also regret that American troops are losing their lives there. We think that these are all as a result of misguided policies. Those who are standing against the Iraqi people, and blame others for their own failures, whose policies are wrong.

• On meeting U.S. officials:

Anything is possible. ... I have suggested that I debate president Bush. I think that the United Nations provides a suitable forum for this. All of the heads of state can sit down. The world can watch for itself, independently. We will offer our proposals for resolving world problems and restoring peace, and allow everyone to think for themselves and decide which one is right.

• On Israeli incursion into Syrian airspace:

We believe that it comes down to the roots of the expansionist policies of the Zionist regime. It's an aimless policy in a way, just a show of power, and has nothing to do with Iran. Syria is an independent state It pursues its own policies.

• On foreign policy:

We seek peace and viable security for the whole world and believe viable peace and security ... can happen based on the belief in a single god and based on the belief in the establishment of justice for all.

• On the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war:

Had it not been for the support and provocation of some Western states, Saddam would never have attacked Iran, and there never would have been a war.

Excerpts from Ahmadinejad interview

[Shammu]

On attacking Israel:

Iran will not attack any country. Our defensive strategy is not one that is offensive and based on attacks. ... Iran is a country that has resided in peace for over hundreds of years with its neighbors, and in fact it has never sought to expand its territory and to dominate other regions and areas. ... Most certainly, Iran is well qualified to protect itself and its territorial integrity but it will never attack another country.

May I remind y'all of what this liar has said in the past.

Ahmadinejad at Holocaust conference: Israel will 'soon be wiped out'

[nChrist]

Brothers and Sisters,

This should really be a rude reminder about the reality of what's really happened and what is happening in our part of the world.

There is no intellectual way to explain what has happened at Columbia. I don't know how many outrageous examples exist, but I'll just mention one. Here, we have a vile terrorist leader who made sickening comments that verified who he is within hours and days of his appearance. Remember that a Standing Tall  - Patriotic - Honorable Marine Recruiter isn't welcome. NOW - take the examples further and talk about Christian topics and speakers who aren't welcome. What are we to think about who is welcome and who isn't? Let's just boil this down to the most simple terms:  Good and GOD versus evil and the devil. Forget about politics and look at the real issues.

[Shammu]

Think about this...................

A man whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War Two owned a number of large industries and estates.

When asked how many German people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude toward "today's" fanaticism.

"Very few people were true Nazis", he said, "but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of our world had come......my family lost everything.....I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories."

Today, we are told again and again by "experts" and "talking heads" that Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace......
Although, this unqualified opinion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the truth about the "fanatics" rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam.

The fact is that the "fanatics" rule Islam at this moment in history.....
-It is the fanatics who march......
-It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars worldwide.......
-It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave.......
-It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor kill.....
-It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque......
-It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals.......
.
The hard quantifiable facts are that the "peaceful majority" or the "silent majority" are just that...."SILENT", cowed and extraneous.

Communist Russia comprised Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant..because they were "silent".

China's huge population, it was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people.

The average Japanese individual prior to World War 2 was not a war mongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel and bayonet.

And, who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were "peace loving"?

History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points: "Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence...."

Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up, because like my friend from Germany, they will awake one day and find that the "fanatics" own them, and the end of their world will have begun......

Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late.

As for us who watch this all unfold; we must pay very close attention to the only group that counts; the "fanatics" who threaten our way of life.....and we

"CAN'T BE SILENT"!!

[Shammu]

Ahmadinejad sets out his vision of a world without Israel

David Horovitz
THE JERUSALEM POST
Sep. 25, 2007

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad used his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to unveil a vision of a world without Israel, in which America and Europe would be freed of what he said was Zionist oppression.

Culminating a concerted assault on what he described as the injustices and oppressions practiced by the "big powers" since World War II, he said that the ungodly era of lewdness and violence was coming to a close and that "the age of monotheism has commenced."

The world was "nearing the sunset of the time of empires," he said, and urged the dominant world powers to eschew their "obedience to Satan" and "submit to the will of god." If they did so, "they will be saved." If not, "calamities will befall them."

But whether or not these powers chose to reform themselves, he said, the day was fast approaching when "occupied lands will be freed. Palestine and Iraq will be liberated from the domination of the occupiers." And the people of America and Europe would be liberated from Zionist oppression. "This is the promise of god," he said. "Therefore it will be fulfilled."

Earlier in his address, the Iranian president insisted again that his country's nuclear program was peaceful and transparent, and repeated and elaborated on the charges he had levelled at Columbia University on Monday against Israel - which he did not mention by name, but rather called "the illegal Zionist regime."

He told the assembled world leaders that the people of Palestine had been punished for 60 years for what had happened in Europe. They had been held "under occupation of the illegal Zionist regime," he said. "The Palestinian people have been displaced," he went on, "incarcerated under abhorrent conditions." They were being deprived of water and medicine "for the sin of asking for freedom."

Ahmadinejad accused Israel of terrorism and castigated "the brutal Zionists" for carrying out targeted assassinations.

He also described immigration to Israel as the gathering "of Jews from around the world" with false promises, and their enforced settlement "in the occupied territories" where there were induced "to malevolence against the Palestinian people."

He spoke of a range of global injustices being rooted in the domination by the victors of World War II over the vanquished, and being perpetuated by the skewed composition of the permanent membership of the UN Security Council. The big powers, he said, had "put themselves in the position of god" and lost "their respect for the dignity of humans."

As a remedy, he proposed the formation of "a coalition for peace," guided by "monotheism, justice and compassion for humans," and the reforming of the Security Council based on justice and democracy.

On the nuclear issue, he said Iran's activities were "completely peaceful and transparent" and castigated the "illegal" sanctions initiatives against his country. But "the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed," he said, however, indicting that Iran had prevailed, thanks to the "resistance of the Iranian people."

Ahmadinejad sets out his vision of a world without Israel

[Shammu]

Ahmadinejad's bouquets of flowers at Ground Zero enlighten public opinion
Tehran, Sept 24, IRNA

Iran-US-President
Member of Parliament (Majlis) Kazem Jalali said on Monday that President Ahmadinejad's bouquets of flowers in Ground Zero, New York, would help enlighten public opinion of the American people.

Jalali told IRNA that President Ahmadinejad planned to lay wreath at the Ground Zero as sign of Iranian sympathy with families of terror victims.

The hegemony powers have always showed unreal image of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the world public opinion, he said, adding that although they have made their all-out efforts to this end, Iran attained good status in the international community.

Jalali, the rapporteur of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission in the Majlis also noted that they are afraid of Ahmadinejad's speech for Americans and the world leaders.

Ahmadinejad's bouquets of flowers at Ground Zero enlighten public opinion

It took a while to find the right picture....................

The little weasel in all his glory.

[Soldier4Christ]

Terrorist: Columbia invite
big boost for Iran 'power' 
Leader says Ahmadinejad appearance
reveals questions on reality of Holocaust

The decision by Columbia University officials to allow Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to address students yesterday demonstrates some Americans accept Iran is a "great power" and are beginning to question whether the Holocaust actually occurred, according to the spokesman of an Iranian-backed terrorist organization speaking to WND.

"This invitation proves that when Muslims and Arabs come from a position of power to the West they receive more respect and consideration to their causes and to their conditions and to their insisting on their sovereignty," stated Abu Mosaab, an Islamic Jihad spokesperson and leader in the Gaza Strip.

"The fact that one of the American universities invited the Iranian president to raise whether the Holocaust happened proves that in the American people and leadership there is a hidden will to raise a serious discussion about these Zionists lies and propaganda," Abu Mosaab stated.

The terror leader told WND Ahmadinejad's address to Columbia "put on the American faces the question of what is your historical proof that this Holocaust happened?

"Doesn't the Zionist version of what happened deserve to be challenged and questioned and doubted?" exclaimed Abu Mosaab.

Abu Mosaab's Islamic Jihad terror group took responsibility together with the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror organization for every suicide bombing in Israel the past three years. The group is heavily backed and financed by Iran, according to Israel. Its overall leader, Ramadan Shallah, lived in Damascus and travels often to Tehran.

The Islamic Jihad spokesman applauded Columbia's invitation to Ahmadinejad as "proving that in spite its power and influence there are some Americans, proud Americans, who are not afraid to go against the Zionist lobby threats and pressure."

In his speech yesterday, Ahmadinejad said further study of the Holocaust was necessary as an academic pursuit and suggested that he had never denied its existence.

In response to one question, Ahmadinejad rejected the contention he was questioning the existence of the Holocaust: "What does it have to do with the Palestinian people?" he asked.

But then he defended the rights of "scholars" to question whether the Holocaust happened.

"There's nothing known as absolute," he said.

He also cast doubt on the official version of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, smiling at first during his appearance, but appearing agitated later as Columbia President Lee Bollinger and others accused him of being a "petty and cruel dictator."

About Sept. 11, he asked, "Why did this happen? What caused it? What conditions led to it?" he said. "Who truly was involved? Who was really involved and put it all together?"

In Washington, there was criticism of Columbia for arranging the appearance. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., said the invitation was wrong because Ahmadinejad "comes literally with blood on his hands."

The Iranian chief also said Iran is "friends with the Jewish people. There are many Jews living in Iran with security."

[Shammu]

Listen to Ahmadinejad
Dan Gardner, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The world is indebted to Lee Bollinger, the president of Columbia University. By allowing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to address the university yesterday, Bollinger not only gave us a revealing look at the character of this dangerous man, he gave us a powerful demonstration of why censorship is foolish.

"It should never be thought that merely to listen to ideas we deplore in any way implies our endorsement of those ideas," Bollinger said in his opening remarks, "or the weakness of our resolve to resist those ideas or our naiveté about the very real dangers inherent in such ideas. It is a critical premise of freedom of speech that we do not honour the dishonorable when we open the public forum to their voices. To hold otherwise would make vigorous debate impossible."

Bollinger then moved from the abstract to the particular, citing evidence of a growing crackdown on dissent in Iran, including the public hanging of up to 30 people this summer. "Let's, then, be clear at the beginning, Mr. President," Bollinger said, turning to Ahmadinejad, "you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator."

When Ahmadinejad took the podium, he opened with a prayer to Allah for the return of the Mahdi and then complained that Bollinger's greeting was "unfriendly."

This was followed by a rambling story about the Almighty, angels, Adam and the prophets. Quotations from the Koran abounded. So did references to science, scientists and the nature of man.

It soon became apparent that what Ahmadinejad wished his audience to know is that science and theology are indivisible. "Science is a divine gift," he said repeatedly, "and therefore, it must remain pure. God is aware of all reality. All researchers and scholars are loved by God. So I hope there will be a day where these scholars and scientists will rule the world and God himself will arrive with Moses and Christ and Muhammad to rule the world and to take us toward justice."

Now, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not a stupid man. He knew he was speaking a subway ride away from where the World Trade Center once stood. He knew most Americans believe him to be as fanatical and dangerous as the men who destroyed the twin towers. He knew the deeply unpopular president of the United States is seriously considering pounding much of Iran's infrastructure into rubble. And he knew his invitation to Columbia was an opportunity to speak directly to Americans that is not likely to come again. If ever there was a time to smile sweetly and say what the audience wanted to hear, it was then.

And yet, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad chose to open his speech with a lengthy epistemological rumination of the sort that was popular in Europe during the era which we rather tellingly call the Dark Ages.

This man is a fanatic. A religious zealot. A bug-eyed lunatic. He could not have demonstrated this fact more plainly, not even if he had paraphrased the famous line of George H.W. Bush and declared to the audience, "Message: I'm nuts."

Ahmadinejad got slightly cagier -- very slightly -- when it came time to answer questions from a moderator. "Do you or your government seek the destruction of the state of Israel as a Jewish state?" he was asked. "We love all nations," Ahmadinejad helpfully replied. "We are friends with the Jewish people. There are many Jews in Iran, living peacefully, with security."

Listen to Ahmadinejad
~~~~~~~~

I thought this was well thought out, and written.

[airIam2worship]

((Maria)) Don't let it get to you. This world is evil and not our home. America isn't your home, Canada isn't my home. Heaven is our home.

Thank you David,  I needed that. 

[Soldier4Christ]

Iran opposition: Blistering speech boosted Ahmadinejad
Says Columbia president strengthened him back home, made radical supporters more determined

One of Iran's top politicians said Wednesday that demonizing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- such as in this week's forum at Columbia University in New York -- only strengthens hard-liners' hand as Iranians rally around their otherwise unpopular leader.

Mohsen Mirdamadi, who leads Iran's largest pro-reform party and is working to make a comeback after being forced from power by hard-liners, said Ahmadinejad should have little chance of re-election in two years because of increasing criticism that he has failed to fix the economy and because his inflammatory rhetoric has hurt Iran on the world stage. But sharp criticism such as what he ran into this week in New York boosts his popularity, Mirdamadi said in an interview.

"The blistering speech against Ahmadinejad only strengthened him back home and made his radical supporters more determined," Mirdamadi said.

Columbia University President Lee Bollinger gave a tough introduction to Ahmadinejad, including telling him that he resembles a "petty and cruel dictator."

"You are either brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated," Bollinger told the Iranian president about his Holocaust denial. "Will you cease this outrage?"

Many Iranians found the comments insulting, particularly because in Iranian traditions of hospitality, a host should be polite to a guest, no matter what he thinks of him. Hard-liners praised his calm demeanor during the event, saying Bollinger was spouting a "Zionist" line.

The chancellors of seven Iranian universities issued a letter to Bollinger saying his "insult, in a scholarly atmosphere, to the president of a country with ... a recorded history of 7,000 years of civilization and culture is deeply shameful."

They invited Bollinger to Iran, adding, "You can be assured that Iranians are very polite and hospitable toward their guests."

Ahmadinejad was asked about his reaction to the confrontation at Columbia.

"I think the meeting at the university was sufficiently loud enough to speak for itself. I'm an academic myself," he said in Farsi, which was translated by the U.N, where he addressed the General Assembly on Tuesday. "I think the authorities and officials of the university should practice a little more listening to other points of view and listen to things they don't like to hear."

Although Ahmadinejad's popularity at home has been suffering, in the eyes of many Iranian critics and supporters alike, he looked like the victim this week. "Our president appeared as a gentleman. He remained polite against those who could not remain polite," said Ahmad Masoudi, a customer at a grocery store.