The Real Reasons for the Ahmadinejad Protest

[babylonsister]

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1529

The Real Reasons for the Ahmadinejad Protest
by: Matt Stoller
Mon Sep 24, 2007 at 09:32:50 AM EDT

Just in case it's not obvious enough what the right is doing in New York City today by protesting Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's appearance at Columbia University.

1) Empowering Ahmadinejad: He's not particularly important within Iran, but this kind of mindless attention helps him domestically.

In demonizing Mr. Ahmadinejad, the West has served him well, elevating his status at home and in the region at a time when he is increasingly isolated politically because of his go-it-alone style and ineffective economic policies, according to Iranian politicians, officials and political experts.

2) Leading Us into a New War: Wars require villains. Ahmadinejad, as an ineffective buffoon with a weak domestic power center, wasn't enough of a villain. He must be built up into an all-powerful character that can only be removed by American force. The divestment from Iran campaign, currently swirling around the states, is accomplishing this, and will almost certainly continue, at least PR-wise, into the next Democratic administration. This will make negotiations much harder and the path to a military strike much more likely.

3) Attacking Free Speech at Columbia: Dismantling or weakening institutions that stand up against the right or could conceivably do so is one of the long-term conservative movement strategic interests. The Freedom Watch ad calling Columbia University 'appeasers' is meant to intimate, and it often works in subtle ways.

Anyway, just in case you were confused about Republican patriotism, here's a short primer. The right is suppressing speech, building up the power of an avowed 'villain' Ahmadinejad, and trying to lead us into a larger and more devastating war.

[asjr]

1. I have to agree with you.

He may be a "bad" man, but we put up with those kind every day. We have a really ripe crop of bad men right here in the US. We applaud freedom of speech in this country yet before the man even speaks we are villifying him. Frankly, I think he is a few bricks shy of a full load, but must our country continue to be uncivil to our visitors? It just might be that he will learn something from his visit. Of course those that don't want him here have the right to protest, but what is really behind it? My tinfoil hat gets tighter and tighter each and every day. PNAC is on the move.

[babylonsister]

2. Yes, we do have our own 'bad men', don't we. I remember how the

world reacted to Chavez when * got such an uncivil welcome; pot, kettle, and all of that.