Iran's president: No one likes Americans

[onehandle]

Source: CNN

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, heading home after a two-day visit to Iraq, again touted his country's closer relations with Iraq and reiterated his criticism of the United States.

"No one likes them," Ahmadinejad told reporters prior to returning to Iran, referring to the predominantly U.S. makeup of coalition forces in Iraq.

"We believe that the forces which crossed oceans and thousands of kilometers to come to this region should leave this region and hand over the affairs to the peoples and government of this region," Ahmadinejad said.

His visit follows trips to Iran last year by top officials of Iraq's Shiite-led government, which has been fostering a closer relationship with predominantly Shiite Iran since the Saddam Hussein regime was toppled by U.S.-led forces in 2003. His visit was greeted warmly by Iraq's Shiite Muslim leaders, whose links to Iran predate the overthrow of Hussein.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/03/iraq.iran/index.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Our illegal immoral war has not won us any friends

in that area of the world, that's for sure. And yet people from other nations seem to understand that individual Americans do not all agree with government policy--for this I am grateful.

[Bacchus39]

3. I think he was talking about Iraqis

n/t

[CJCRANE]

6. It's a misleading headline as usual.

And the text indicates he was talking about coalition forces not Americans in general.

[High Plains]

39. Yeah, it's not us they don't like...

...it's those damned insufferable Salvadorans and Fijans...with all their empire building.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. Yes, he was talking about Iraqis not liking American forces

I would say that others in nearby countries also have negative opinions of US forces, which is what I meant when I said "that part of the world".

[Bluzmann57]

2. He may be correct

But there aren't a whole lot of people who like Ahmadinejad either. Just making an observation.

[Winterblues]

37. Iraqis do though

I would say more like him than do Bush*.The world is fed up with American Imperialism

[bdamomma]

4. what else is new?

our image around the world means nothing anymore, we hopefully better get ourselves together and start the healing process, cause it won't be us who will pay it will be our children and our children's children. Damn *.

[lonestarnot]

16. and this is new how?

[Tempest]

5. Misleading headline

Ahmadinejad didn't say no one likes Americans.

He said no one in Iraq likes U.S. troops in their country.

Big difference.

[Hulk]

19. I agree.

[Seabiscuit]

22. That was my first thought on reading the OP as well.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

7. I think he might be right, I started my dislike of Americans about

1960 after watching civil rights, wars against others, cheating, being lied to, spied on, killing Black Panthers in their sleep, J F K, M L K, Bobby, Kent State, Central and South America, ooh where do I stop.

[BigDaddy44]

8. Sorry, but I disagree

I think people hate our GOVERNMENT. But when you look at internally how we've progressed since 1960, there has been a HUGE sea change in our culture (for the better). Yes, we're not all the way there, I realize that, but anyone who thinks American culture hasn't evolved tremendously in the past 50 years I think isn't looking hard enough.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

12. I will agree with your view as well. Peace be with us all.

[Hydra]

14. I wasn't around back then

but it seems business as usual continues.

[AngryAmish]

18. MK Ultra?

[Seabiscuit]

23. But... but... "you've only just begun".

[Patchuli]

32. So why are you here

if you dislike us?

[Megahurtz]

10. Whether the headline is true or not,

it is true that no one likes Americans.

What's there to like? :shrug:

[nels25]

11. Hate to tell him that

though the US is at present not held in high esteem. Come Jan 20, 2009 that will change in New York minute.

Iran OTOH will still be perceived by a large chunk of the world as a brutal and boorish dictatorship mired to a large degree in the 12th century.

I like our chances of becoming well liked than Iran's??

As I state quite often these days. We shall see.:dem:

[Hydra]

13. Unless we leave

I predict the feeling about American occupation will be pretty much the same, regardless of who is in the WH.

Also, considering the amount of damage the US has done recently, it might be asking quite a bit for the world to decide it was all Bush's fault. We migth wanna consider doing something to fix some of that damage.

[Nihil]

34. You reckon?

> though the US is at present not held in high esteem.
> Come Jan 20, 2009 that will change in New York minute.

I doubt it.

Whilst I don't wish to go too far down this rat-hole - remember, the OP
article doesn't actually say what the headline says - don't bet on your
"New York minute".

Most people around the world can spot the difference between "An American"
and "A Bush American" but recent years have really strained their patience.
Add that to the world's view of the leading contenders for next president
and you aren't going to see any radical changes in attitudes ...

:shrug:

[LynnTheDem]

35. Dontcha hate when democratic elections vote in brutal dictatorships?

[nels25]

36. Did I miss the memo that those elections were

in fact free and fair??

Seems to me if I member correctly that most to the opposition candidates were banned by the clerics.

SO yeah it is perfectly acceptable when a regime engineers the election of a possible tyrant.

Nuts works every time it's tried (see recent election in Russia that no one thinks was legit).

Tell me do you really think (Sorry I can not spell his name but no disrespect meant) is a total man of peace?

There seems to be evidence to indicate other wise.

:hi:

BTW: I am not trying to pick a fight, I just do not think that Iran is as benign as others may.

Does not mean I think that the bombs should immediately start drooping on them, does mean we should, pay attention, they mean what they say, and they may wish us ill.

[LynnTheDem]

38. I think George W. bUsh is a "man of peace"!

Really!

And of course our "man of peace" was freely & fairly selected by the USSC.

:rofl:

[bluestateguy]

15. he has an annoying name that is too hard to pronounce

nt

[Jazziette]

20. Have any of you ever been to Iran?

Has anyone seen how beautiful Tehran is? If I were President of Iran I would be very
worried about Bush launching an attack against my country just as he did against Iraq.

We, as the people of this country, really have no say in what our current occupant of
the WH is going to do any any given minute.

On top of that we have no idea what he is going to do here either, for that matter.

I will be so happy when Bush is gone!

I was and still amd for having John Edwards as President of our country! He has not
ended his campaign, but he has only suspended it. We can still vote for him, still
write him in, still DRAFT him!

If you are interested in signing a petition to Draft Edwards please sign the petition:

http://www.draftedwards.org

Thank you and God Bless us All,

~ Jazziette
http://www.jazziette.com
KFNX News Talk Radio/Phoenix, AZ

[kineneb]

31. Yes, I have. Lived there a year.

school year 1970-71, 7th grade at (the no-longer-extant) Tehran American School.

Still have step-relatives there.

Iran has its own unique beauty; and it has everything from snow to sea... Mt. Damavad has a ski area... the Caspian region is almost tropical... the ruins of Persepolis are fascinating... and on.

[DrCory]

41. The Beauty of Tehran...

Does not negate the fact that Ahmadinejad and the clerics that govern Iran are fundy wingnuts worthy only of contempt.

[lpbk2713]

17. Bush's 'legacy'.

Way to go, Shithead.

[liberal_rxstudent]

27. Ugh..

I just absolutely love the Rush pic. How charming! :puke: :sarcasm:

[liberal N proud]

21. Thanks to gwb

[cliss]

24. It's hard to describe how perceptions of the US

have changed in the past few years.

Example: I was visiting Sweden, shortly after the US invaded Iraq in 2003. I remember hushed questions, absolute shock that the US would go ahead and do it, even though world opinion was so negative on it.

A little girl came up to me and asked, "Will the US attack us if we do something wrong?". The parents looked at me, I looked at the girl & then the parents.
I was unable to answer. All of these people, in a historically US-friendly country, now believe that the US is a Rogue State, capable of just about anything.

I don't think dislike is the right word; FEAR is more like it.

[trthnd4jstc]

25. The reverse about Iranians needs to be remembered.

Whereas, the Iranian Pres. says that noone likes us, we must remember that he does not represent all of the Iranians.

[PetraPooh]

26. Wouldn't it be grand if we could call him a liar! Hurry up 2009!

[Mithreal]

28. Death to America vs. No one likes the US occupation

Clinton had the internet, Bush plotted the Iraq War & Occupation as economic stimulus.

Ahmadinejad isn't calling for "death to America" or something stupid like nobody likes them. I am relieved to hear we might actually soon have a president that will talk with our enemies openly, what a profoundly simple and world-changing view. Anyone hear the military-industrial complex simmering, they know Bush's bubble is about to pop.

So, Ahmadinejad had the courage to go to Baghdad and our President had the courage to go to Camp Cupcake? Ahmadinejad is bad in a whole lot of ways but he may be more a man than Bush.

[SunDrop23]

29. As someone who travels throughout Europe and Latin America, I can say...

I don't particularly care for us either.

And we have no one but ourselves to blame. On 12 September 2001 the world loved us, yet we decided to let one person turn the entire planet against us and completely fvck our country for years to come.

Shame on us.

[Pavulon]

30. I travel a good bit..

most people are smart enough to see the difference in bush and the person standing there in front of them. I do not discuss politics abroad but have never had a real problem.

On a side note the UN security council, including China and Russia, sanctioned Iran today..

[PurityOfEssence]

33. Takes one to know one, bucko

The rest of the world doesn't like you cats much, either...

[pegleg]

40. Ahmadinejad should be given no credibility in anything he says

inspite of our own views on the war in Iraq. remember there are no homosexuals in Iran and the Holocaust never happened.