Iran Leader: Israel Will Be Annihilated

[im10ashus]

Well, this isn't helping matters much.

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer
10 minutes ago



The president of Iran again lashed out at Israel on Friday and said it was "heading toward annihilation," just days after Tehran raised fears about its nuclear activities by saying it successfully enriched uranium for the first time.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Israel a "permanent threat" to the Middle East that will "soon" be liberated. He also appeared to again question whether the Holocaust really happened.

"Like it or not, the Zionist regime is heading toward annihilation," Ahmadinejad said at the opening of a conference in support of the Palestinians. "The Zionist regime is a rotten, dried tree that will be eliminated by one storm."

Ahmadinejad provoked a world outcry in October when he said Israel should be "wiped off the map."

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iran_israel;_ylt=AnQn6uLHjYL0HAqHdCOk7ASs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

[Pharaoh]

1. this guy like Bush............

really wants to bring on armeggedon............

He is begging Bush to hit him!

[im10ashus]

3. The patients are running the asylum.

[ronnykmarshall]

26. Like Randi Rhodes said yesterday .....

The only difference between the Prez of Iran and the Prez of US??? Beards!

And we're not talking about Laura!

[stop the bleeding]

2. .

:(

[wuushew]

4. He merely said Israel is doomed

nowhere was an Iranian declaration of war hinted at.

Modern Israel very well may fail for a variety of reasons from lack of resources to environmental degradation. Words are meaningless, wake me up when something newsworthy happens.

[MelliMel]

6. Sure. Nothing implied.

He means Israel no harm, of course.

Of course, he had to also do the traditional questioning of the Holocaust which is mandatory for all haters of Jews.

[Clark2008]

8. In this particular instance, that's what I read, too.

I'm not saying he's NEVER made anti-Israeli statements, but this one seems to say only that Israel is doomed, not that he or Iran or any Arab/Persian nation is going to be the one dooming it.

:shrug:

[RB TexLa]

11. If Bush starts saying there should be "regime change" in Iran

Will you :shrug: and say "He didn't say he was going to be the one doing it"???

[cali]

16. Hysterical.

If the translation is accurate, and he used words like annhilation, of course it's threatening language. I personally believe that Ahmadinejad is more bluster than anything else, that he's playing to the crowd, but there's no doubt that he regularly employs threatening and hateful language about Israel and Jews. Denying the Holocaust is almost invariably hate speech. Why would anyone deny something so voluminously documented?

[wuushew]

20. But against his words what actions should we take?

Should it be a war of words against words or rather the current tract of American policy for regime(by force if necessary) which I find unethical and cannot support.

[cali]

23. I stated that

I believe Ahmadinejad is playing to the crowd. I don't support regime change in Iran. I don't support bombing them. I advocate diplomacy, and if neccessary, international sanctions.

[wuushew]

24. We are in total agreement

peace

[K-W]

25. The US and Israel threaten Iran, why cant Iran threaten Israel?

Why is everyone on this thread acting like this was an aggressive statement when Iran is very clearly on the defensive right now and has been for some time.

To be clear the pres of Iran is an anti-semite and no doubt that plays into his rhetoric, but one must also take into acount Iran's military position at the moment, surrounded by US forces and under imminent threat of bombing according to reports. They are on the defensive, so saying that thier enemies will be annihilated is hardly aggressive rhetoric.

[Poppyseedman]

21. Why would anyone deny something so voluminously documented?

He's insane???

How many other leaders of countries are lead by people either so delusional or mentally deranged.

Ours excluded of course. Even bush would not deny the Holocaust

I find it disturbing that this guy is taken so lightly by some posters.

[K-W]

28. I wont disagree that racism is a form of insanity and dellusion

but considering how widespread it is in the world and how many socities it plagues, im not sure I would agree that his racism makes him particularly crazy for a world leader.

This guy is taken 'lightly' for two reasons:

1. The president of Iran is not that powerful, the clerics still run the show.
2. There are alot of racists in this world and this one is not anywhere near the most dangerous.

[demosincebirth]

29. Yeah, sure, it also means he wants to invite them over for tea.

[im10ashus]

9. Reading comprehension can be so fun.

NOWHERE in my post did I mention an Iranian declaration of war. The article DOES state that Israel is "heading toward annihilation." That seems to be a threat.

[H2O Man]

17. Of course it is.

It is important that we recognize that a significant part of the Iranian leadership is made up of people who are as predisposed towards hatred, violence, and warfare as those in either Israel or the United States. Questions about war and peace, and WMD/nuclear weapons, must not be decided by people who are sick in this way. While as US citizens, our primary responsibility is to remove the reins of power from madmen like Dick Cheney, we must also be on our guard that no other country has unwarrented influence on our foreign policy, either because of our viewing them as friend or foe.

Statements about Israel like that can easily be viewed for what they are by looking at it on an individual language. If a man said his wife "might disappear" if there was a conflict he viewed her as "responsible" for, we could conclude he was making a threat. We do not have the luxury of time to say one person/nation is right or wrong on the old issues that are festering right now: we need to move people away from the edge of a terribly violent conflict. That means all people of good will should oppose anyone making threats right now.

[im10ashus]

27. We are in agreement.

"Annihilation" is a strong word. He's playing right into the plans, I believe, of this administration. It's frightening.

[H2O Man]

32. In every country,

we need to take the power away from the people with violent, diseased minds. I do understand when people say that a rational person in Iran would likely feel intimidated by current events. It is important that those rational people speak up .... in Iran, in Israel, in the USA, and everywhere else.

You are correct that "annhilation" is a strong word. It should be reserved for strong people, such as a Gandhi or a King, who would point out that through our own foolishness, we invite annihilation. When weak people like Bush or Cheney or the president of Iran use it, at a time when tensions are so high, it is unacceptably reckless.

Interesting thread.

[Ani Yun Wiya]

30. Perhaps it is merely...

A warning to israel that it's path is ill advised regarding the Palestinians.

[Poppyseedman]

12. George Bush is the Greatest President ever.............

Words are meaningless

Yup, what was that again...................

Iranian declaration of war hinted at

Why do you think Iran will declare war on Israel before they attack them?

[applegrove]

5. This guy seems to be copying Bush in his myth-making and his backdrops.

How scarry is that!!!

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

7. This World Will Not Survive....

It's as simple as that. As a single person, with no children, I fail to see the desire of raising 1 or 2 more generations, because I'm not sure we'll make it.

For everyone here, our existence has been limited to the past 15-95 years, but as a civilization, the human race has been building to the point where we eventually destroy everything God has created.

And to put the icing on the cake, when we do succeed to Armaggedon, we'll look to it as an achievement, as the will of God. A joyous rapture occasion. Virgins and Heaven for all the faithful.

How are we supposed to pray and side with Evil societies, such as the one led by this anti-semite in Iran? It's just such a hateful world we live in, and God is probably looking down with pity, saying it's almost time to start over again.

[The Stranger]

14. You had me until the "Evil Societies" rhetoric.

It just sounds too much like George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Michael Savage a/k/a Michael Weiner, and other bloodthirsty, bigoted, warmongering Neocons, and their "war of civilizations."

I was going to say that maybe religious zealotry and bloodlust (borne of all three Western monotheistic faiths) actually has some strange purpose, perhaps some built-in mechanism to start over.

But how would you explain the millions, possibly billions, who are not bloodlusting and hatemongering, but are left to deal with the consequences of the war orgy?

[CJCRANE]

33. Don't get down-hearted.

In reality there are always approx. 30 wars going on all over the world all the time.

The MSM only focuses on one or two wars at a time and one evil dictator at a time but there's lots more, there always have been and there always will be.

Even given that, most people have reasonably preaceful lives.

[elehhhhna]

10. "IT WILL SOON BE LIBERATED?" who does that sound like?

He's out Bushing Bush.

[Missy M]

13. What is with this guy again questioning whether the Holocaust..

really happened. He can't possibly have a brain in his head if he thinks it didn't happen. How do people like him and Bush get where they are when they are so low in brain power.

[azurnoir]

15. To a degree the Isreal

will be annihilated is standard retoric and has been since 1948 when Isreal was created in the mid-east our wonderous MSM is cherry-picking on whom they report on.

[SoCalDem]

18. In retrospect, I wish the Allied forces would have offered the US as

a haven for the displaced European Jews. Things might be a lot calmer now if they had not created that tiny little outpost in hostile territory..

[rockymountaindem]

41. It wouldn't have worked

The British offered to make a Jewish national homeland in Uganda in 1903, but the World Zionist Congress turned it down. The USSR also created a "Jewish autonomist oblast" under Stalin, hoping to attract socialist Jews from all over the world to live there. That didn't work either, nor did the Jews of the USSR all move there. The objective is/was not to have a homeland just anywhere, but to have it in the Biblical holy land.

[CJCRANE]

19. Is this guy on the BFEE payroll?

He's playing right into their trap.

However, if you read the body of the article he's actually talking about "the regime".
Pretty aggresive talk but not much different from B*sh's constant threat's of "regime change".

[K-W]

22. At this point threats may be all Iran has left. EOM

[Bluebear]

31. The "Rapture Ready" crowd will be doing Snoopy dances. nt

[dogday]

47. Here is one now

[Bluebear]

49. Arf!

[nonconformist]

34. I have to ask the obvious question

Isn't Israel capable of defending itself? I mean, Israel has nuclear weapons itself, does it not?

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

36. Sure....But....

If Israel were to strike at an Arab country, it would probably start a wider conflict.

It also would create a nightmare for whomever was president/King in the U.S., as alliances would be more difficult to come by.

The U.S. would be able to get away with an attack on Iran more than Israel could. There would be disenssion, but not nearly as much if Israel were directly involved.

[K-W]

38. Israel is a superpower in the middle east.

They are more than capable of defending themselves, not to mention the fact that thier allies are the world's superpower and that the other major militaries in the region are allied to the US.

And as you say, should Iran get nukes at some future date, Israel has a formidable arsenal that will provide deterrance (not to mention the US arsenal)

[stray cat]

42. They can blow up Iran in a pre-emptive strike

However, they have to strike before Iran attacks them. I doubt if the international community would support that idea either. Also Israel has not made it their public policy to destroy its neighbors.

[BlueStateModerate]

35. This doesn't sound good...

"President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Israel a "permanent threat" to the Middle East that will "soon" be liberated."

That sounds an awful lot like BushSpeak. Liberated = invaded.

[Neil Lisst]

37. Why doesn't he just paint a target on the top of his head?

that crazy bastard has a death wish, and Bush is going to accommodate him by bombing his ass.

he just won't shut the hell up

[stray cat]

39. The Iranian president is not a peace loving guy.

He has made it clear many times he wants to wipe Israel and all of its inhabitants off the map. Its a mistake to defend him as a wonderful freedom fighter who deserves to have nuclear weapons so he can defend himself.

[im10ashus]

45. Who is defending him?

I think he and all like him have done nothing to help this world. Hate in any form is so unnecessary, even when hinted at, that is sparks more hatred. A viscous cycle we need to break. We all need a little more love in this here world.

[Strawman]

40. Are these guys on the neo-con payroll?

Sheesh. It's uncanny.

Why are the people of the US and Iran relying on these two sets of morans to conduct diplomacy? Time to think of where exactly our so-called leaders are leading us.

[im10ashus]

43. They are all in the same crazy boat.

Like H2O Man says up thread, it's time to stop putting these types of individuals in office. Is this world ready to be blown to bits? I sure hope not. No more war. No more war criminals leading our countries. The only annihilation that should be spoken of is the annihilation of nuclear weapons. Period.

[Strawman]

44. Damn straight, im10ashus.

Damn straight.

:toast:

[im10ashus]

48. Back at you!

:toast:

[LSK]

46. how come I cant find this story on BBC?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/default.stm

:shrug:

[Neil Lisst]

50. If Iran were smart, they'd have someone pop President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

That would remove the number one threat to Iran's safety.

When he says the kind of things he's been saying, he's asking to be taken out.

[Douglas Carpenter]

51. Supreme Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's fatwa against nuclear weapons

from:

Fishing for a Pretext in Iran

by Juan Cole; March 18, 2006

link: http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cfm?itemID=9929

snip:"Supreme Jurisprudent Ali Khamenei has given a fatwa or formal religious ruling against nuclear weapons, and President Ahmadinejad at his inauguration denounced such arms and committed Iran to remaining a nonnuclear weapons state."

snip:"it is often alleged that since Iran harbors the desire to “destroy” Israel, it must not be allowed to have the bomb. Ahmadinejad has gone blue in the face denouncing the immorality of any mass extermination of innocent civilians, but has been unable to get a hearing in the English-language press. Moreover, the presidency is a very weak post in Iran, and the president is not commander of the armed forces and has no control over nuclear policy"

snip: "in November of 2003 the IAEA formally announced that it could find no proof of such a weapons program. The U.S. reaction was a blustery incredulity, which is not actually an argument or proof in its own right, however good U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton is at bunching his eyebrows and glaring."

and this is the latest on the subject from Juan Cole:

link: http://www.juancole.com/

"Kiriyenko: Iran's Method "Unfeasible" for Fissionable Material

Here is what a nuclear official who has no interest in getting up a war on Iran says about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's claims earlier this week to have slightly enriched a small quantity of uranium:
link: http://www.kyivpost.com/bn/24251/
MOSCOW (AP): Russia's nuclear chief on Thursday said Iran is far from being capable of industrial-scale uranium enrichment, the Interfax news agency reported. Russian Federal Nuclear Energy Agency chief Sergei Kiriyenko said the enrichment facility in the Iranian city of Natanz, equipped with 164 gas centrifuges, could not produce any significant amount of enriched uranium, which can be used to fuel power plants or produce atomic weapons. "These centrifuges allow Iran to conduct laboratory uranium enrichment to a low level in insignificant amounts," Kiriyenko was quoted as saying. "The acquisition of highly enriched uranium is unfeasible today using this method."

How refreshing, a high government official who isn't LWB (lying while breathing)."