Columbia U. president calls AhmadiNejad "petty and cruel" at campus speech, I agree but it sounded like a setup and AhmadiNejad failed!
I was preparing another story for today but got caught up in the speech AhmadiNejad was allowed to give at Columbia University. I couldn't understand why he was allowed to speak there in light of the tit for tat between him and Bush. After I listened to the President Lee Bollinger introduce him with mass insults I understood why AhmadiNejad was allowed to speak and why Bush didn't mind. It was a Bushite setup! AhmadiNejad sounded ridiculous to me and that had to be the obvious intention of President Bollinger. Can anyone tell me his Political party?
Anyway Iranian President Mahmoud AhmadiNejad took the stage at Columbia University to a blistering reception from the president of the school, who said the hard-line leader behaved like "a petty and cruel dictator." AhmadiNejad smiled as Columbia President Lee Bollinger took him to task over Iran's human-rights record and foreign policy, and AhmadiNejad's statements denying the Holocaust and calling for the disappearance of Israel.
"Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel
dictator," Bollinger said, to loud applause. He said AhmadiNejad's denial of the Holocaust might fool the illiterate and ignorant. "When you come to a place like this it makes you simply ridiculous," Bollinger said. "The truth is that the Holocaust is the most documented event in human history."
AhmadiNejad rose, also to applause, and after a religious invocation, said Bollinger's opening was: "an insult to information and the knowledge of the audience here." Myself as you know, I do not agree with Bush's stance in any instance but I felt myself agreeing largely with Bollinger and felt AhmadiNejad sounded like a fool defending the indefensible and really harmed the cause of the Iranian people, not that they matter any more than we do.
"There were insults and claims that were incorrect, regretfully," AhmadiNejad said, accusing Bollinger of falling under the influence of the hostile U.S. press and politicians. "I should not begin by being affected by this unfriendly treatment," he said.
He did not address Bollinger's accusations directly, instead launching into a long religious discursion laced with quotes with the Quran before turning to criticism of the Bush administration and past American governments, from warrantless wiretapping to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Bollinger was strongly criticized for inviting AhmadiNejad to Columbia, and had promised tough questions in his introduction to AhmadiNejad's talk. But the strident and personal nature of his attack on the president of Iran was startling. "You are either brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated," Bollinger told AhmadiNejad about the leader's Holocaust denial. "Will you cease this outrage?" I'm telling you I am no fan of AhmadiNejad's but this was a setup.
AhmadiNejad said he simply wanted more research on the Holocaust, which he said was abused as a justification for Israeli mistreatment of the Palestinians. Why is it that the Palestinian people are paying the price for an event they had nothing to do with?" AhmadiNejad asked. He closed his prepared remarks with a terse smile, to applause and boos, before taking questions from the audience. Sounded like a Bushie set up
I have to say, AhmadiNejad's reasoning for research into the validity of the Holocaust was absurd and ridiculous. When questioned AhmadiNejad finally agreed that the Holocaust did happen but that didn't mean you shouldn't continue to research it. I would agree if he was talking why the frame of mind that allowed it but AhmadiNejad is arguing for fools.
He foolishly said we still debate God so why is it wrong to debate and question the Holocaust? To an educated audience he sounded like a fool. We saw the Holocaust first hand. We know it happened. We don't have to wonder. It has been 30 years since I was at Dachau. You could smell the bodies then and I am sure you still can. My father was at Dachau at the end as a liberator. We know it happened!
I did agree with AhmadiNejad when he said that the US and Iran could be useful allies if Bush could put differences aside but you know, they will keep being formed and that will never be allowed. I also liked that he invited Columbia alumni to come speak to Iranian students any time. I also agreed with AhmadiNejad on the use of depleted uranium and the damage it is causing to Iraq and beyond but that was about it. he also highlighted that there has been a Palestinian problem for 60 years and Israel can't solve it. He didn't mention forming the Nation of Israel there after WW2 was the problem and he will not allow there to be peace.
Like Bush he is a master at deception and dodging answering the question. I was pretty surprised when he told us how revered and well treated Women were. However, that statement was put in perspective when he was asked about why he mistreated Gays and he ridiculously said they do not exist in Iran. Whoa! knowing there have been Gays in every society I have to say either Iran kills them or they are still in the closet for fear of?
On another note, Oliver North who I have differing emotions about called the UN a circus. well he may be right but tomorrow Bush the number one bad actor and juggler will be there pushing for his new middle east order. In the end that will never happen either. Bush and AhmadiNejad will see to it that no one will have peace and no one will have their way as they both push for their own version.They will assure war!
James Joiner
Gardner Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com
