Once again, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has used the United Nations podium to churn out his misinformation and half-truths. And once again, the American media accepted his invitation for a fancy luncheon afterwards, enabling a ruthless murderer to wage his not-so-charm offensive. Apparently, some media outlets just want Ahmadinejad to say something, anything, as long as they get their story.
Has no one learned anything from the free passes provided to Ahmadinejad's allies, such as Moammar Qaddafi of Libya and Bashar Assad of Syria?
Ahmadinejad allocated almost the entirety of his speech to just about anything unrelated to the clerical rulers of Iran. He talked about flooding in Pakistan, famine in Somalia, how a large percentage of the world's population earns so little, and how a small percentage of the world's population has so much. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
Next he took on an authoritative posture, portraying himself as an engineer who knows that the two planes that hit the Twin Towers could not have brought those buildings down. (Huh!) Of course, one might wonder when he practiced his sophisticated engineering skills, in that he has spent pretty much all of his adult life first as a chief thug, organizing hooligans to attack and beat up students in the early days after the revolution, then as a notorious torturer in Evin prison, and later as a commander of the terrorist Qods Force during the Iran-Iraq war.
But what is more important is what Ahmadinejad did not address. He addressed numerous problems around the world, held America responsible for much of the world's misery, but did not talk about the Arab Spring; no mention of Libya, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, or Yemen.
He attacked world powers for intervening in other countries' affairs, but stayed off the topic of his Revolutionary Guards' helping Bashar Assad to violently suppress the revolt in Syria; and avoided details of how his regime used violence, bribery, intimidation, and blackmail to put Iraq's defeated Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki back in office and deny the winning candidate, Ayad Allawi, a substantive role in the political process in Iraq.
Nor did he mention his use of proxies in the Iraqi Government to kill dozens of Iranian dissidents and former political prisoners who had taken refuge across the border in Camp Ashraf, Iraq in 2009 and 2011. No wonder that while most of the delegations left the General Assembly Hall when Ahmadinejad started speaking, the Iraqi delegation remained, cheering him on.
Ahmadinejad expressed concern about three billion people in the world not earning enough to live, but failed to mention the fact that as many as 80 percent of the Iranian population live below the poverty line; the official figures put it at 55 percent. He attacked the West for making exorbitant profits, but said nothing about his own closest allies in Iran, the ruling clerics and their cronies, who are plundering billions of dollars, dominating the nation's industry, and running or taking a cut from all business in the country.
And lastly, he said nothing about the rising rate of executions in Iran, this year's numbers close to 490 so far, higher even than last year. Since he spoke at the last General Assembly session, his State Security Forces and the Iranian Judiciary have sentenced to death or already executed more Iranian dissidents whose only crime was peaceful participation in the anti-government demonstrations in Iran.
But let's not be picky about the facts. Especially since again this year, prominent American media were invited to a fancy lunch after his ranting at the UN, for a taste of more of his rhetoric. The attendees are expected to throw him soft balls, and some went so far as to praise Ahmadinejad for being impressive, "well-prepared," and speaking "confidently."
But while Ahmadinejad spoke inside the UN, and hosted some journalists, the story outside was very different. He may be able to suppress the voices of dissent in Iran, escalate violence in Iraq, help Assad quash dissent in Syria, and defy international demands to desist enriching uranium, but in New York he was confronted by thousands of Iranian-Americans, who called him a murderer and insisted that he is not representative of the Iranian people.
That should have grabbed the headlines.
Follow Alireza Jafarzadeh on Twitter: www.twitter.com/A_Jafarzadeh
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There is no reasoning anymore with Iranian government. If the US fails to act it is at our own risk.
Who is US? you mean your hasbara handlers right? because general US population doesn't care what's going on thousands of miles away...
How much American blood and treasure in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Lebanon, Pakistan, kuwait, Yemen, Egypt, and Libya?
What has that bought? America cares very much what happens thousands of miles away.
I did not mention Businessmen, Politician's, CIA and Military because I would think everyone knows their motivations and job roles never put Peaceful Coexistence first or foremost
You are raising the all important point that Iran's Seat in U.N. Does Not Belong to Clerical, Incapable Dictator Mullahs, amongst other relating data and essential information, and quite frankly some of these comments are way out of the context (if unintentional) and if it is done by some repulsive mullahs hired guns it is purposeful, time and space wasting, and nauseating.
As newly freed American hikers verified and attested to yesterday " Many times, too many times, we heard the screams of other prisoners being beaten and there was nothing we could do to help them ". The lives of many innocent political prisoners, the GOD Giving Rights of Iraninas, freedom and justice for Iran, the end of dictatorship, savage, and criminal regime of backward mullahs, the immediate STOP to the 30 tested and failed policy of appeasing incapable/atomic mullahs is what your article is all about. How could you even accept this murderer terrorist to your country and then provide him with free air time,...... etc. like nothing is wrong and all is normal????? Detestably Outrageous !
The assistance reportedly includes not only arms and ant-riot gear, but advanced surveillance equipment to help Damascus monitor citizens “Face book” and “Twitter” accounts according to two US officials and a foreign diplomats. The EU last week said the Revolutionary Guards provided Bashar Assad with technical help, equipment and cash to support in brutally suppressing the country’s unrest and announced sanctions against the guards.
It is absolutely imperative for Iranian Islamic regime to have Bashar Asad on the power, therefore Iranian supreme leader directly orders to funding the regime and also support Asad with help from Revolutionary Guard. The Iranian and Syrian regime brutalizing mans and women’s who are against them, more than two thousands have been killed in Syria, and since 1979 Iran Islamic revolution up to ten thousand have been killed and executed by the Iranian repressive regime, but despite killing and heavy rape and tortures against the protesters days are numbered for Basher Assad and Iranian Islamic regime and when he goes Iranian Islamic regime will follow soon. Witnessing the atrocity commits in Iran and Syria it won’t that late to see Basher Assad, Ali Khamenei and Mummer Gaddafi who is on run in UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague soon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHJ1G5UxvRs
Please, do all you want about complaining about US own affairs - at least in the US you and your family won't be killed for it.
"Free and fair elections with no repression? No problem, let's do it!"
"Gays in Iran? Yes, there are gays and lesbians and I vow to ensure that they have equal rights and protection under the law."
"Israel? Iran has no hostile intentions toward Israel. Maybe Teheran and Jerusalem should open direct dialogue to reduce tensions in the region and defuse the hawks. We hereby recognise Israel as a fellow UN member and propose an exchange of diplomats!"
"Ya know, stoning women for 'adultery' is pretty horrible. We'll stop that immediately."