Ahmadinejad: Why The Right Is Wrong

The man whose name you can't pronounce is landing in New York. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will address a select group of Columbia University faculty and students on Monday as part of the school's annual World Leaders Forum.

Reactions to Columbia University's decision to invite him have been mixed, and right in line with expectations. McCain, Giuliani and groups including The Anti-Defamation League have come out swinging against the Columbia-Ahmadinejad coupling, armed with terms like "Holocaust denier," "Persian Hitler" and "state sponsor of terrorism." They also make note of what they see as Columbia's other failings: lack of an ROTC chapter, the decision to let Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist speak last year and Columbia Dean John Coatsworth's recent remark that he would also invite Hitler to speak "if he were willing to engage in debate and a discussion."

Supporters, including Columbia President Lee Bollinger, have for their part expressed concern about the dangers of curtailing free speech. In a prepared statement, Bollinger wrote: "That such a forum could not take place on a university campus in Iran today sharpens the point of what we do here."

Once again, the American right is going about things all wrong. Ahmadinejad is their best tool. Rather than working to shut him down, they should sit back and let him speak. Here's why: Sound bites from Ahmadinejad's Columbia appearance will inevitably produce more "evidence" the administration and its hawks can use to push the need for this regime's elimination -- like his incendiary remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations last year. It is Ahmadinejad's words the administration consistently cites as supporting evidence for its cause. If Ahmadinejad wasn't afforded the opportunity to speak, and to offer up more inflammatory remarks, then the right would be without this easy ammunition in its ongoing campaign to invade Iran.

As leading campus free speech and first amendment scholar Robert O'Neil rightly notes: "If you suppress a viewpoint by disallowing or barring a controversial speaker, you make the speaker a martyr."

While all eyes are on Manhattan, precious few are watching what's happening in Washington. On Thursday, Senators Jon Kyl and Joseph Lieberman filed an amendment to the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill that would make it official U.S. policy to "combat, contain and roll back" Iran and its surrogates in Iraq. Section 5 calls for the United States to formally designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization. If passed, this amendment would open the door even wider for military action against Iran.

Why hasn't this bit of news sparked similar debate?

Comments

[JohnCitizen]

WAR WITH IRAN

GOOD NEWS... God is speaking directly to George Bush (again) and telling him to go to war with Iran. This new war should go as well as the strategically-brainless Iraq war (our President’s last guidance from “a higher authority,” “another Father” than Bush41) and further help over one billion Muslims in their decision to fight America in a mutual holy war. When the President finally increases the level of hatred against the United States to where it engulfs Pakistan, then we face nuclear terror, and Biblical Armageddon becomes real and a self-fulfilling prophecy. Oh, the joy, the Rapture!

Right now roiled Pakistan is just one assassin’s bullet away from going under, and still jihad recruitment is only in its infancy. The Crusades of long ago are living history in the Middle East, so Muslims are already primed for another war with Christian invaders; and our “bring it on” cowboy President is only rekindling and fueling this centuries-old fire.

Our brave, innocent young men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan are fighting for a better world, but a leader ignorant of history and cultures can easily cause the opposite. The stupidity of World War I and of Wilson, Lloyd George and Clemenceau caused terrible consequences for another 70 years after the end of that war, including Hilter and Communism. Afghanistan is the right war, certainly a just war and the whole world agreed and was on our side, and if we would have concentrated our efforts there we probably would have wiped out Bin Laden and those responsible for 9-11 by now. Iraq is a total disaster, and Iran will be even worse. Let’s face it, all George Bush knows is how to start wars! Our mentally unbalanced, messianic President needs to provoke a war, AND HE WILL FIND A WAY!

Historical footnote: Thank Providence George Bush was not President during the Cuban Missile Crisis. For those of us who lived through that experience, it took a President with brains to survive. God, help us!

[Guitarsandmore]

The killing just goes on and on and on without end. We owe it to all of the dead soldiers to find another way to settle our differences. Opening up a meaningful dialogue between countries is a step in the right direction and could lead to a resolution of differences without violence.

[vippy]

Who has the entire US Navy Fleet at the door step of Iran, who is provoking whom? The same runup to war with Iran as we had with Iraq -
all lies and people fall over themselves to protest against the visit of Ahmedinejad. Talk about a stupid nation we are - we never ever learn, do we? Who is the bully here? Again,
the Iranians want to sell nuke energy to Europe.
However, Bush convinced Merkel to step back and
put Sarkozy in place, just so he ensures us some backers of this attack. And Pelosi took out the part about NOT attacking Iran. Why are the DEMS so quiet about this?

[Guitarsandmore]

Because they believe the Petraeus Report.

[BinBaldwin]

Ahmadinajead is Anti American and Anti Israel. No Wonder he is receiving so much moral support on this blog. The right is right. The left is Anti American.

[cognate]

"Ahmadinajead is Anti American and Anti Israel."

Really? Why don't you read his letter to the American people:

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article15770.htm

[rmreddicks]

That would require reading. As opposed to channeling, by way of "automatic writing", whatever reactionary drivel flows through your ears.

[AbstractImp]

You see, the right is always right. This may go on for decades. It is apparent that the donkey is an appropriate symbol for the democrats.

There is no worry. With all the dead innocents these republicans have produced on foreign and domestic soil, in the way that it is difficult to distinguish between Baghdad and New Orleans, it is only a matter of time before all this catches up to them.

We only have to recount the careers of several Nazi leaders to comprehend where this is going.

The flag of the former United States now waves as an image of tyranny all across the world.

The enemies of freedom now hold "public office" in the once proud land of the brave, the once brave land of the free, the once free land of opportunity, the once....

But now ... "The right" has control. And we can look back across history to see what happens when the right gets control. It is easy to call up Hitler, but he has a lot of company: Franco; Mussolini; Vichy France; Horzy Hungry; Pinochet; The Argentine Junta; Kaizer Wilhelm; Napoleon; Julius Caesar.

So, republicans, enjoy it while it lasts. While these morons in rally squads shout us down and start the process that ends with all liberals going to concentration camps for "re-education", you can take comfort in the fact that, though no one else cares what happens to you, they will perhaps feel a twinge of sympathy knowing that the same jerk who bombed them is now destroying his own nation.

And the thin blood that is being drained today out of our national "debate" will one day come back to haunt the perpetrators of this disgusting era of "republican majority".

"Winston Smith"

[buske]

####################################

Before blogging on any further, how about facing the fact that the Cheney crowd is about to attack Iran in YOUR name? Any day now. And they don't give a shit about anybody's opinion in this forum.

Nobody's going to stop this war by sitting at home writing angry posts on Huffington Post or any other blog. In fact, it seems people prefer to write on a forum like this so that they can feel good. Feel that they made a difference.

Who on this blog ever visited their congressman or senator to demand action?

If you don't act, nuclear bombs will be dropped, IN YOUR NAME!

####################################

[Traveller]

The entire country has gone bananas. There are some who are cleverly avoiding talking about the atrocities they are unleashing on humanity and then there is the other side who is choosing to be scared because they WANT to win the next election so bad. The opposition party does not come out strong and deny responsibility for the war. No one is supposed to defend anything about the war. No one other than the present president and his administration. The buck stops with him. When he and his administration decided to give a lopsided view of the reasons for going to war to the public he took the onus upon himself to defend his position and be responsible for every single life lost in vain whether American or otherwise. Why do (ir)responsible reporters ask inane questions of the other side? They can talk and should talk ONLY of the future and nothing else. I have not heard them ask tough questions of the ones who are and were responsible for the mess. As far as I can see the Reps can and do whatever they wish because they stand together as a force whether they are defending the poorest choices or not. What does an advertisement in Moveon.org have to do with the war in Iraq that is killing thousands and wounding even more? But some how the Reps have managed to get everyone on the defensive about an advertisement rather than they defend their position on the killing machine they have unleashed on humanity. It is simply untenable!!! T

[BARRISTER]

Americans are like sheep; They cannot think for themselves and permit the "Media" to think for them. They are thereby falling over cliff after cliff on the basis of Words of Terror which sews terror into their minds. This is done by the 21st. Century's New Terrorists. No, not the gun weilding bomb carrying type who are easilly controlled and extinguished, if the proper approach is taken, but those Americans and their allies who use words to terrorize the American Citizens into a frenzy, much like Hitler did to the German People leading up to the invasion of Poland and the commencement of WWII.

The danger to America is therefore right here in our own frontyard.

[Kendo Nagasaki]

George Orwell's "1984" is Karl Rove's favorite bedtime reading.

Animal Farm is a close second. Oink.

[RumiSouth]

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.

There is no plan to INVADE Iran.

The plan is to BOMB Iran.

Invading would require huge expenditures and a desire to overcome the enemy.

Bombing Iran requires bluster, no-bid contracts, and a desire for a profitable long-term enmity.

[mommamia526]

The plan is to bomb the Iranian military complex if Ahmadinejad keeps playing Mohammed Ali, dancing like a butterfly and stinging like a bee, ignoring UN (not U.S.) sanctions, and threatening war, a.o. if it becomes apparent that he is about to use his weapons arsenal. Ahmadinejad has already 600 missiles, with improved missile delivery systems, pointed at Israel and has said he can reach Tel Aviv. Ahmadinejad is also supporting Hamas, financially and otherwise, which gives him two fronts to attack Israel from, North and South. Ahmadinejad has also spoken out against Europeans and told them NOT to support Israel, or they might regret it. If his missles can reach Tel Aviv now, where do you think his missiles could reach north? Europe maybe? The French have declared, not they are going to war with Iran, but they must be ready for a war with Iran, should Ahmadinejad put his money where his mouth is.

[Hirnlego]

U.S. Focus on Ahmadinejad Puzzles Iranians

"Political analysts here say they are surprised at the degree to which the West focuses on their president, saying that it reflects a general misunderstanding of their system.

Unlike in the United States, in Iran the president is not the head of state nor the commander in chief."
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/world/middleeast/24iran.html?_r=3&oref=login&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

There's an concious effort in trying to make him look like the new Saddam, but he has never had that power and never will. And he will never be a threat. Stop this warmongering that will not benefit anyone!

[wmbear]

SO CAN THE GUY PLEASE DO HIMSELF AND THE REST OF US A FAVOR...

And NOT insult his hosts while he's here? (I'm guessing probably not.)

[Bozwellian]

LOL, but its OK for the HOSTS to insult the "guests' ?

[ceti]

Repost:

Iran almost went to war with the Taliban in 1998 and was on the same side in both Gulf Wars and the Afghanistan war. Strange how all this is forgotten in the manipulated hysteria against Ahmedinejad, as if he is "Hitler Revisited", yet again. Then again, the level of hysteria proves the point the so many fools can be herded into a war crazed mentality.

And still, has the US ever apologized for the 1988 downing of the Iranian airliner that killed 290 people? Or helping Saddam out with logistics and intelligence, while helping him procure chemical weapons?

[Chris]

Has the Iranian President apologized for the hostages in 1980?

[ceti]

Iran almost went to war with the Taliban in 1998 and was on the same side in both Gulf Wars and the Afghanistan war. Strange how all this is forgotten in the manipulated hysteria against Ahmedinejad, as if he is "Hitler Revisited", yet again. Then again, the level of hysteria proves the point the so many fools can be herded into a war crazed mentality.

Has the US ever apologies for the 1987 downing of the

[marko77]

Recently Ahmadinejad publicly praised the adolescents who ran through Saddam's minefields during the the Iran-Iraq war. Their part in the battle was to clear the way for the infantry. Ahmad. said they were "martyrs" who would have their "reward in heaven." This man is ignorance personified, or in other words, a religious fundamentalist extremist.

His mentor was the Ayatollah Khomeni, who declared the US to be the "Great Satan" in the late 1970s. Ahmadinejad has never repudiated this statement and I'm sure he still believes it.

I think he's like David Duke, i.e., someone trying to put a "friendly" face on hatred and intolerance as a smoke screen.

[HarkaDahl]

If you were an ordinary middle eastern man familiar with the decades of US meddling in the region; familiar with the duplicities, the undemocratic agitation, the creation of, support for and subsequent betrayal of extremist groups and governments, the insincere toying with Palestinian rights, the use of cluster bombs and depleted uranuium, and then the near-endless stream of US grown propaganda about how good and compassionate the US is, you too might begin to think of it as a rather sick nation. There is more than enough ammunition to label the US The Great Satan in the minds of non extremist Muslims.

(Personally, I dislike such idiotic labels for anyone.) Also check up on what the US did to Iran back in 1953.

[marko77]

HarkaDahl

I know what the US did to bring the Shah into power in 1953. Of course, it wasn't right. However, I don't think a constructive answer is to embrace religious fundamentalists. In the end they cause great suffering for their own population and for people of other nations. It doesn't matter if the fundamentalist is Islamic, Christian, Jewish, or Hindu.

[Overd0g]

Whatever the U.S. has done in the middle east is made insigificant by what middle easterners have done to themselves.

[wmfor]

Well, I'm sure the conservatives in this country would support Columbia University in a general policy to deny a forum to any and all religious fundamentalist extremeists. :-)

[Bozwellian]

ANd , like uh..what is the BUSH spurge doing ? but attempting to buy time and allows our boots to be the fodder for maimings and killings and told how honorable they are....titting and tatting and comeing off as a right winged dingbat presumtive to declare that ONLY those others are "fantical", evidently not allowed to be different in opinion/religion/etc and always spun as if ONLY those others are evildoers doing whatever when we got some real dirty fingers in the pot stirring up much !!!

[MrBert]

I applaud the reaction of most people that he should be allowed to speak, if he is truely a war-monger and a maniac, it will show. But I question their sincerity and wonder if these were the same people who said they questioned Barak Obama's statement that he was willing to sit down with any world leader?

[Bozwellian]

Have a distinct problem with the assertion that acknowledging one is willing to TALK/discuss/ even listen up to another is a sign of supposed weakness and inability...Rather find that those UNABLE to EVEN CONSIDER SUCH or those that want it ONLY with rigid restirives in place, well , little chance of ANY resolvement and but a TRUE SIGN OF INABILITY to learn much to be in a position to make BETTER / WISER decisions !!!