My Interview With Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (posted with permission)
http://saneramblings.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=199&sid=cbd2eced87a6b979def0c090579b53e7First a note of caution. What you are about to read is strong and controversial and you may find it offensive. But it is based on reality and if you don't like it, do something to change these realities, for you have the power to do so.
"You Americans treated me like like I was dirt," Mr. Ahmadinejad said as his voice rose in anger. "I was treated with no respect for my country, no respect for my title, and no regard for my feelings."
This began my brutally frank HYPOTHETICAL interview with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran, who was every bit as blunt in answering my questions.
Q) "Mr. Bollinger, the President of Columbia University said to you as he introduced you to the audience, 'Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator,' adding, 'You are either brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated.' What were your thoughts when he said that to you?"
A) "In Iran, when we invite someone to speak, we treat them with courtesy and respect, and we allow the audience to draw their own conclusions after they've heard what the speaker says.
"But as I listened to Mr. Bollinger, I thought his description applied more accurately to President Bush, although I'm glad he didn't use that forum to attack Mr. Bush for it would have been rude to him just as it was to me."
Q) "Mr. Bollinger in his introduction of you claimed it is 'well documented,' Iran sponsors terrorism and asked why Iran doesn't 'adhere to the international standards' of disclosure for its nuclear program. What is your response to his accusations?"
A) "If it is 'well documented' that Iran sponsors terrorism, where is Mr. Bollinger's proof? Don't you think if the U.S. Government could prove that accusation, which it often makes, they'd call a huge press conference and show everyone the evidence.
"And as for asking Iran to 'adhere to the international standards,' of disclosure we will be happy to follow the lead of the United States, which has by far the biggest nuclear weapons arsenal in the world and is rumored to be developing a new generation of nuclear weapons. Their disclosure to the world, to even their own people is absolutely minimal.
"Because of the U.S's unfounded accusations, we come under intense scrutiny, yet we don't have a nuclear weapon, not one."
Q) "Iran is accused of arming Iraqis with weapons that are killing U.S. soldiers. Is Iran doing this?
A) "The United States has made this accusation repeatedly without offering any proof. We are just Mr. Bush's scapegoat in his incredible disaster that is the Iraq war.
"Think of Iraq as being the Titanic. The U.S. has hit a huge ice berg and is rapidly taking on water. As the ship begins to lurch, your Captain, Mr. Bush tells you everything is fine and that the water is being successfully bailed out.
"As the water level keeps rising, you can believe what you see for yourself or you can listen to the Captain. Incidentally, this Captain will be the first one on a life boat when the Iraqi Titanic sinks. Unfortunately, there won't be enough life boats for the rest of you, as it's severe costs sink your Economy."
Q) "Does that mean Iran is not providing ANY weapons to Iraqis?"
A) "Where was the world in the 1980's when the United States heavily armed Saddam Hussein in his war against us. That war lasted several years and killed millions of our citizens, yet the U.S. took no responsibility and still says nothing about it, even to its own people.
"We have an 800-mile border with Iraq and many thousands of their citizens are fleeing from the war across that border, which is now as hard to regulate as the U.S.'s border with Mexico. Whether any Iranian citizens are selling Iraqis weapons we can't say for sure but we try to prevent it."
Q) "During a recent MSNBC interview, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was asked if there is any way to affect your thinking, and in her reply, she said, 'I don't think there is any way to reach Ahmadinejad.' What is your response to her?"
A) "I believe Ms. Rice could make that statement about her boss, Mr. Bush, who does not appear to listen to anybody. To answer your question, the best way to affect my thinking is for Mr. Bush to amicably and respectfully sit down with me and discuss the issues."
Q) "You at first denied the Holocaust happened and have now altered your position claiming more research is needed to confirm details of the Holocaust. This has angered Jewish people and many others whose families were Holocaust victims. How can you make such an outrageous claim?"
A) "It was not smart of me, and like many a President who commits a major mistake, my ego now won't let me apologize and correct my error. I think Mr. Bush understands this problem for unless he's in denial, he has it on a grand scale in Iraq.
"But the important thing to notice is the Holocaust issue is a diversion. What does it matter what I think of the Holocaust? It has no bearing on the major issues such as the United States' wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and its threat to launch a nuclear attack against us, which could kill millions of our men, women and children and destroy our nation.
"Why is Mr. Bush threatening to drop nuclear weapons on Iran? Ironically in the name of peace for to him, it is the only way to prevent us from some day potentially developing a nuclear weapon, the very thing he is ready to use now to murder our people enmasse and obliterate our cities.
"My opinion of the Holocaust is not a real issue any more than the U.S. has created issues such as a Constitutional Amendment against flag burning, It is meant to divert the public's attention from horrific issues."
Q) "On a different subject, how can you claim Iran has no homosexuals?"
A) "It's what I believe. How can the U.S. military claim it has no homosexuals?"
Q) "Would you invite President Bush to speak at a leading Iranian university so he could express his ideas and answer their questions?"
A) "I did invite him! The Iranian people would love to ask him a wide range of questions. They would include: 'Why are you threatening to attack us with nuclear weapons? Why won't you sit down and talk with our Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials to resolve our differences?
'Why did the U.S. put and keep the Shah in power? He brutalized us. Why did the U.S. heavily arm Saddam Hussein in his war with us in the 1980's? Your weapons cost us many thousands of lives.'
"And I would like to ask, 'Why was I not allowed to lay a memorial wreath at Ground Zero? It was meant as a show of compassion from the Iranian people for the Americans who lost their lives on 9/11 and for their families.'
"But I don't expect Mr. Bush to ever have the courage to speak at one of our universities as I did an American one. For he only makes public speeches to audiences his people carefully screen and his people also help select the questions and prepare the answers.
"Mr. Bush keeps protesters far from him and from camera range, often with the cooperation of the American news media. He is not a man who is willing to publicly and candidly discuss difficult issues except on his own terms."
Q) "Now Mr. Ahmadinejad, as we conclude our interview, I have an awkward question to ask you, so please forgive my being rude. The U.S. media has widely claimed you are crazy, a mad man. What do you say to them?"
A) "May be I am a little crazy, or at the least unconventional. But what ever I am, I've publicly and in hostile environments, answered questions and repeatedly attempted to conduct a dialog.
"Whatever you may think of me, I'm not the one who endangered the world by my reckless actions that may restart the Cold War nuclear arms race. Nor did I put America in tragic, costly and endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nor do I threaten other nations.
"I'm not the one who is destroying Constitutional protections the American people have enjoyed for over 200-years nor do I spy on any of you.
"The U.S. media aside, you tell me, who is the mad man?"
by Dick Kazan more of his comments at
http://www.saneramblings.com(he appreciates and reads your comments here)
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
