Los Angeles Times, “Iran president blames Wall Street turmoil on U.S. ‘military engagement’”
NEW YORK — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared Monday that the turmoil on Wall Street was rooted in part in U.S. military intervention abroad and voiced hope that the next American administration would retreat from what he called President Bush’s “logic of force.”
He also asserted, in an interview with The Times, that Israel was doomed like “an airplane that has lost its engine” and that Western intelligence documents questioning the peaceful purpose of Iran’s nuclear program were crude forgeries.
The United Nations General Assembly opened its annual session Monday in a state of alarm over a global financial crisis. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he feared for his effort to secure increased pledges from rich nations to aid the poorest, which are already reeling from higher food and energy prices.
Before joining the annual fall debate, Ahmadinejad sounded a provocative note on the topic during a 40-minute interview with Times editors and a reporter in a Midtown Manhattan hotel suite heavily guarded by agents of the Department of Homeland Security.
“Problems do not arise suddenly,” he said. “The U.S. government has made a series of mistakes in the past few decades. First, the imposition on the U.S. economy of heavy military engagement and involvement around the world . . . the war in Iraq, for example. . . . These are heavy costs.
“The world economy can no longer tolerate the budgetary deficit and the financial pressures occurring from markets here in the United States, and by the U.S. government,” he added.
Several blocks away, across from the U.N. headquarters, 3,000 people mobilized by a coalition of mostly Jewish groups protested against Ahmadinejad’s threats toward Israel and Iran’s human rights record.
And in Vienna, the chief of the U.N.’s atomic watchdog agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, accused Iran of blocking his efforts to clarify its involvement in experiments and studies consistent with the development of a clandestine nuclear weapons program.
Suspicion that Iran is pursuing such weapons took center stage at last fall’s General Assembly debate and put Ahmadinejad on the spot. This year, with a divided Security Council reluctant to tighten sanctions against Iran, he appeared relaxed and confident.
“We do not believe that the U.S. policy perspective, looking at the rest of the world as a field of confrontation, will give good results,” he said.
The Iranian leader wore a gray windbreaker over a light tan shirt and a Pierre Cardinbelt with gray plaid slacks. He smiled almost incessantly, even when talking about Bush, who addresses the General Assembly today. The U.S. president’s policies, the Iranian leader said, have “harmed . . . people all around the world.”
He declined to say whether he preferred to confront a Republican administration led by John McCain, who opposes negotiating with Iran, or a Democratic one headed by Barack Obama. Obama says he would talk to Iran under certain conditions. Nor did he suggest a fresh approach by Iran to Bush’s successor.
“Any [U.S.] government that comes to power must change previous policy approaches,” he said, adding that he was ready to speak with either of the candidates while in New York this week. “We’re interested in having friendly relations.”
The standoff between the United States and Iran has centered on concerns over nuclear proliferation and threats against Israel, which Ahmadinejad has said should be “wiped off the map.”
In recent remarks in Iran, he has clarified that threat. Iran, he repeated in the interview, promotes a shift in power in the Holy Land by means of elections in which Palestinian residents and returning refugees would vastly outnumber Jews and vote into power a single government over what is now Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
This single-state idea, espoused by a growing number of Palestinians, is firmly opposed by Israel and the U.S. and other Western governments trying to broker a deal for a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Ahmadinejad said he would present the proposal to Ban, with whom he met later Monday.
In discussing Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands, the Iranian leader touched on his well-publicized refusal to accept the Holocaust as historical fact.
“Who are these people? Where did they come from?” he asked in reference to Jews who founded the state of Israel in the wake of the Nazi slaughter in Europe during World War II.
He spoke in Persian through an interpreter, whose translation of his next sentence began: “We’ve agreed. . . .” before she was cut off and corrected by Ahmadinejad:
“If we agree and accept that certain events had occurred during World War II,” came the next sentence, “well, where did they indeed happen? In Germany, in Poland . . . . Now what does this exactly have to do with Palestine? Why is it that the Palestinian people should pay for it?”
The United States and Israel accuse Iran of arming and training the Islamic militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas, which attack Israel with rockets and suicide bombers and use Syria as a logistics base.
Ahmadinejad said he was not concerned about Israel’s effort, by means of indirect negotiations through Turkish mediators, to woo Syria away from its alliance with Iran. Israel wants Syria to shut down the militant groups’ operations; in return, Syria seeks a return of the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967.
“We believe that the freedom of the Golan Heights is exactly what the Zionist regime does not want,” the Iranian leader said. “We think it is very unlikely it will happen as a result of the negotiations.”
Before the Iranian leader arrived at U.N. headquarters, Ban told reporters he would press him for an explanation of Iran’s stonewalling of an inquiry into its nuclear program by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
The agency said it has intelligence documents from 10 countries that show Iran conducted secret uranium experiments, tested explosives and pondered bomb designs suitable for nuclear weapons. At the agency’s meeting in Vienna on Monday, ElBaradei said Iran had failed to open its records or give “credible assurances” about the nature of these activities.
In the interview, Ahmadinejad said the agency was pressing its inquiry under pressure from the United States. “All the documentation was forged,” he asserted. “In fact, it was so funny and superficial and not in depth that a school kid could laugh at it.
“The IAEA must act independently,” he said.
The United States is unlikely to win approval this week for stepped-up financial and trade sanctions against Iran because Russia opposes the idea and China is reluctant. Foreign ministers of a six-nation group monitoring Iran’s nuclear program, which also includes Britain, France and Germany, are to meet on the sidelines of the General Assembly debate.
Ahmadinejad acknowledged that the sanctions, the global financial crisis and wars in neighboring Iraq and Afghanistan were hurting Iran’s oil-fueled economy, which is beset by inflation, unemployment and shortages of gasoline.
But the Iranian leader, who is seeking reelection next year, made two claims sharply at odds with what Western journalists and other independent observers find in his country: that 98% of Iranians support his government and that “we do not have poor people or people who live below the poverty line to the extremes that you find in the United States.”
In regards to the latest news circling Amedenejad debating with both Mccain and Obama on world politics:
You can’t debate with an irrationalist. Using rationality with one who is willing to twist logic, and turn reality on its head, would be a very messy debate. They are incommensurate and therefore will provide no reason for debate, because no one will be satisfied in the end. It’s endless. Welsome to the world of Post-Modernity… thanks a lot you bunch of Po-Mos.
Amedenejad is barely a politician. He isn’t the authority in his country. He is a simple person doing what he is told. His bluster is his own foolishness. But he is not harmless. He is and will seek to provoke atttacks on Israel and the United States. He should not be written off simply because he acts so stupid. I think he pretends to be stupid to incite hostility and to get attention. There is no way even a person of average intellect could be so ignorant. He is certainly acting.
I do agree with him that it is the time to pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan. If we pulled out in the next six months we would be ready for the next invasion. Hey Mahmood, where do you think that will be?
This nut is not worth despising, however, I hate that he is right in many ways about us being our own worst enemy. This isn’t pro-bush or pro-obama or whatever, but simply that we are imploding under our own bloat. This is unfortunately the normal cycle for every great country and it breaks my heart to see us nearing the end of our era. I wouldn’t shed a tear if Israel nuked Iran into the world’s biggest glass parking lot. “nuke em till they glow and shoot em in the dark”
regardless of how well the economy of the united states is performing right now, he does not deserve a platform on our soil to verbally attack us and our allies, i still cannot understand how the UN cant see that he has forfeit his right to be diplomatic
Good for Amedenejad, he is stating the facts that most leaders would like to, but can’t because of political retribution. perhaps when the U.S. economically self implodes, you Americans can ask for refugee status to Iran, even if your leaders are irresponsible and irrational, I don’t believe Amedenejad holds any grudges against the American people.
Yeah, I call bullsh*t on “Rob in Florida.” It doesn’t sound like he is even an American citizen or is a liberal pansy who is ashamed of being one. Instead he ignores the fact that Ahmadinejad has labeled the U.S. “The Great Satan” and wants us wiped off the map. Interestingly, Ahmadinejad is one of the people Obama says he would gladly meet with, without preconditions.
Rob in Florida? Are you not an American? You should be run out of Florida then. We need a crusade against all Muslim pork haters. The Pres of Iran looks a little gay to me. What say you?
Despite the fact that he is a nutjob….he is right when he points out that we have been consistently shooting ourselves in the foot. Even an idiot like him can see that, now if only the ones over here could get past their “patriotic blindness” and see it too before it is way too late…
Cardinal, I think the United States is aware of its problems, fixing them is another issue
We don’t need a political dissident like Mahmoud giving us advice
I hate Bush. That said - Don’t come to my country and tell me I’m wrong!! Those people in the desert have been fighting and killing since time began. They are just looking for somebody new to fight with and Bush gave them somebody. No other President attacked the Middle East.
Rob go home America doesn’t need you.
I am not surprised that a lot of “Americans” know more about sports than real world issues. Some “Americans” get offended when someone calls the U.S. government(not the coutry or its people) ” the great satan” but it’s right for them to hear the American Government calling other countries ”the axis of evil” without even know it where that country is geographically located.
Mr. Ahmadinejad made some good points that I agree with (except for denying the existence of the hollocaust and wipping the jews off the map), and it does not make me less American or more of a islamic extremist , and neither does if Obama tries to use a different approach. Waht??? was the war in Iraq the right thing to do???? can anybody objectively describe what benefits the iraqui war has contribute economically and politically to U.S.?
It would have been very interesting to have seen that debate between Obama, McCain, and Ahmadinejad concerning to world issues and the American foreign policy. That would have definetly proved the level of knowledge and diplomatic skills of both presidential candiates regarding to world affairs. Perhaps the GOP did not like of having its presidential nominee embarrased in national television.
i think if you look at the military programs, religious ideologies, and human rights of the countries in this so called “Axis of Evil” you might see that its a little bit different than in America where you can actually insult your own country and condemn the president legally
In some of these countries its a completely different world and interpretation of morality, to try to turn the tables and say that America is no better is naive
We want to do what is right for the world, both democrats and republicans, our intention is not to harm people or wipe civilizations off the map, this is a stark contrast
Please cut the shit out, we have to stop policing the world. We are the only country that used chemical weapons on countries. Vietnam where we killed millions, using also (Napalm), Remeber that???, we forgot the support we gave saddam to kill iranians with our chemical weapons???? Have we forgotten???, have we forgotten the bomb we dropped on Japan????, but now its time for us to judge if Iran can have a Nuclear weapon???, cut the shit out, North Korea is setting off bombs and telling us they are, wtf we going to do about that. Get the fuck outta here. Israel has stirred hate and conflict for decades in the Middle East and the support of the U.S in the region has stirred hate towards the U.S., So dont tell me the U.S is to judge Iran. As a matter of fact Iran has never invaded a country for centuries, Iran has never occupied a country for centuries, Its US as the U.S who has started our nation with the killing of the Indians to the enslaving of Africans to the countries we went into. Maybe its time for US to STFU AND GET THE FUCK OUTTA COUNTRIES AFFAIRS. The tables have turned and thats why we need people with fucking brains to get us out of this mess. Get the fuck outta here.
Ahmadinejad - No, the US is not nearing the end of the road. The global superpowers are United against fascist nations like yours getting a hold of the “Bomb” for fear of your using them randomly to start the “End of Times” that all of your sick prophets preech. Maybe you’d have a better leg to stand on if you didn’t place of the your nation’s power in the hands of your religious leader, just a guess..
The sad part about all of this is, you are able to convince Putin and the Russians to join your side. I used to have so much mroe respect for Russia, but now that’s questionable.
It seems to me that you are trying really hard to take down the US and all of the industrial nations paradigm with your singlular twisted logic and post-modern thought process by simply disregarding the rules that are in place. Not going to happen. This is a war to the end.
Sometimes the truth hurts. I was actually impressed with the interview. I love the country of America and every person here, but I don’t like our government and don’t believe 90% of what they say. What exactly do any of you dislike about Amedenejad? Because he says things that he believes? What? Do you believe in what our government says and does? Come on, open up your eyes and stop hating people you don’t even know. You make your decisons on what you are told by our media. What knowledge do you actually have on Iran and Amedenejad?
Before you comment, please keep in mind the amount of lies our government spews on a daily basis.
With that said, let’s have a real debate and not a name-calling, verbal brawl.
the truth is covered by hypocrisy, people dont research, they are just fed by bullshit media. No one searchs for the truth. Russia has joined Iran for the U.S support of Georgias illegal attacks on South Osseita which were mostly Russians. Research before accusing Russia, Also the Defense Shield is right in Russias backyard. Come on have a logical debate and bring facts.
Sam I agree with your comments, but let me remind you that the U.S. government ( I am not blaming the country itself and its people) if I am not mistakne is the only one that has dropped two atomic bombs swipping off two japanes cities, threfore killing more than 300,000 innocent lifes. How do you call that??? have anyone heard the U.S. government apologizing to the Japanese people for such a horrendous attack?
Indeed I am very thankful for what this great country has given and I do not take it for granted (despite the fact that there are a lot of issues that need to be taken care of), however I deeply believe that our gorvernment needs to reform its foreign policies.
despite all hate mail and rhetoric, it doesn’t change any of the facts, I don’t believe Americans are stupid, you where just sold a bill of goods by your so called leaders, and now you are being fooled once again with the same speech, if you don’t act now there will be a mushroom cloud. As far as Muslims and killing go, more people have killed in the name of christianity than all the casualties of all the modern wars put together.
And as far as your so called democratic Country, in the words of Francisco Franco ” Our regime is based on blood and bayonets,not hypocritical elections”
“We are the only country that used chemical weapons on countries.” BULL!
Perhaps you’ve never heard of the “Kurds” before. You know, a nice peace loving people, living in Northern Iraq, at least until Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons on their villages. Think before you equivocate…
Carlos, the Japanese were in league with the Nazis, they had their opportunity to dissent
Those bombs stopped the war, the Japanese would not have given up and there would have been thousands more American and Japanese lives at stake
Thanks Sam.
Good comment Larry
It really sucks when an a**hole like this speaks and has an element of truth in his rant. I truly fear that we are seeing the beginning of the end of the “Roman Empire”. And it’s mostly for the same reasons as the decayed original. We’re stupid, obnoxious, dogmatic, superior (for no good reason), we think we’re entitled, we’re lazy, and we’re simply not paying attention while it all falls apart around us. Our government is a big problem but, the bigger problem is that we not only put up with them but re-elect them. The problem is all of us. We were a truly great country. I don’t like what we have become.
you mean the Japanese gorvernment, right Sam???
Were Japanese children, women, and elderly told about this opportunity???
and still no apology!!!
But I respect your point of view Sam,
Thanks Carlos
thanks for being polite carlos, there are some here who don’t facilitate debate with their profanity
the Japanese government was at fault, but collateral damage had to be taken to prevent a larger number of deaths
it comes back to the old bombing a bomb factory dilemma, and in this case, i feel and those who authorized the use of the bomb felt that the damages would be minimized to take that route and use the bombs
To Moron, where do you think sadam got those chemicals from, George H.W. Bush.
Why is it the United States ranking at number 48 of Countries with a free press.
Why are some countries allowed to have nuclear bombs and others are not?
Why does the US back countries today and then overthrow them tomorrow?
I sure have been frustrated lately and that interview frustrated me even more. Sadly enough, and regardless of the verbal lashing I might take, I felt more truth coming out of Amedenejad’s mouth than I have ever felt come out of Bush’s.
I’m actually embarrasssed that I can’t believe in or stand behind the people who lead America. Thank God I am surrounded by great people in my life and I haven’t lost faith in the great people of America. It’s the leaders I can’t stand.
Let’s hope for a brighter America (brighter leaders) come January 20th, 2009.
Quote: “We want to do what is right for the world…”
-Sam
Sam, with all due respect that comment sounds pretty egocentric, and that’s what I believe have led the U.S. to have more enemies and separate from other countries. I do not know much about the American government, but my question is, what, at least, the current government has done for the American people besides those two wars, the current financial crisis, and the 9+ trillion dollar debt just to name a few?
We should rephrase at least for this ocasion that famous quote for this one:
“We know we have to obey our civic duties and contribute to the commonwealth as good U.S. citizens for the sake of this vast and great country, and trust us, we do. But we’d like to know what has the current administration done for its hard-working and brave American people…and waht the upcoming one will do, Good bless America”
-Carlos Vazquez
Sam,
that is in fact an awfull truth, unfortunately thousands of innocent lifes are lost as a result of collateral. The sad part of this is that it was not even their fault.
Good Look Sam
Carlos
“To Moron, where do you think sadam (Saddam) got those chemicals from, George H.W. Bush.
Why is it the United States ranking at number 48 of Countries with a free press.”
First off, chemical weapons were utilized on the battlefield by Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war starting in 1983. Last I checked George H.W. Bush wasn’t president until 1988, but maybe that’s just me, not subscribing to anti-Bush conspiracy theories. As for your “free press” comment, I have no idea where that’s coming from.
Aren’t we the masters of marketing in the world? The masters of spinning the truth and outright lying? I mean…look at the slander/lying between our two highly regarded presidential candidates!
Is there any point of view except ours? Apparently not. This is the exact same thought process that has put us where we are.
Folks…please read other media in the world to get a balanced perspective. BBC, Guardian, etc.
Folks: I think Ahmedijan has sown us something that our leaders never wanted to. Its the harm we are having by blindly supporting Israel. Israel occupied Palestine and still constructing new homes on Palestine lands. It has 200+ Nukes. This is wrong and each person in the Middle East believe that Israel is doing this because of US support. So to justify Israel’s murder, killing,occupation, we the US losing everything. Our soldiers dying there, we are losing trillion dollars in ME in Iraq (Iraq war was invented by Jews lobbY), we are losing jobs, homs etc. If Ahmedijan could understand this simple calculation why we can’t?
The war actually started in 1980, and G.H.W. Bush was vice President under Reagan for 2 terms, but in reality Reagan’s 2nd term was run by Bush, because Alzheimer’s had already kicked in. Bush was also C.I.A. director in the 1970s.
Moron, it’s not you personally, it’s your leaders (or lack of leaders). With a Congressional approval rating of only 18% and a 19% approval on your President, it’s evident that 81% of your country hates their leaders, you don’t need our help in the hating American leaders department, sounds like your enemy is within.
Even though there is some truth in what President Ahmadinejad is saying, there is no way the US or other western powers can allow countries like Iran to arm themselves with nuclear weapons. Historically Islamic rulers have been the most barbaric except maybe for Hitler whose regime was fairly short lived. People who lived under Islamic rule for over 500 years have documented that they were some of the harshest rulers ever, even to the extent of killing their own siblings, cousins and other family members. Attacking and invading such nations is definitely not the right approach, but isolating them will certainly help. Starve them of all the resources till they come back to the negotiating table. The US has still not encountered indigenous problems especially with the Islamic community. Even though the majority of Muslims are peace loving people, the jehadi’s can do enough damage to a country’s economy, progress and stability.
“Don’t come to my country and tell me I’m wrong!!”
This is a strange idea because the UN headquarters are in NYC. As long as we want to keep the headquarters here and at least formally be “the leader of the free world”, we have to let others talk. Everyone - our puppets “good SOBs” like Somosa or Saakashvili and the crazy ”bad SOBs” like Khrushev and A-ma-d.
It hurts when one hears bad news about your own country. But if one considers himself a patriot, then it is your duty to know the truth. We are paying for our wrong choices in 2000 and 2004, and we are paying for our laziness in school (I mean Miss South Carolina, a “US American”), our greed (700 bn) and our militancy (600 bn/year). Fortunately, FBI is investigating some of our “leaders of fee economic enterpize”. I hope we will have courage to investigate our current Administration.
Ahmadinejad has excellent points. I may not like him personally - I don’t like religious nuts, muslim, christian or jewish. But if he tells the truth, at least in some points, and we need to know it, for our own good. If we want to hear only nice things, such as a winning in Iraq and the strength of our economy, then lets listen to J. McCain, all day long and for four more years.
Rob in Florida, Carlos, Sam and others - my respect. What we need is not the hate mail and argue who is a bigger patriot and a liberal-hater, not cling to our guns and religion, but think about the future. Maybe not being an Empire is not so bad. Think Italy, UK, France or Japan. Even Turkey is much better off without Yougoslavia, Iraq and Palestine. Do we really NEED to fight a war 15000 miles away? I’d rather invest 600 bn/year here at home. Thank you for reading.
With the exception of France most Europeans feel sorry for the American people and what you put up with from your Leaders (France doesn’t care, but has good reason, calling them cowards and wanting to send back the statue of liberty, when they disagreed with Bush on Iraq) Most Europeans enjoy taxpayer healthcare, also when we retire at 65 we get 100% of our pay, if you are merchant marine you can retire at 55 full benefits.
The U.S. worker, not only is he not protected by Government, but the Government stacks the deck against you with the Corporations and chamber of commerce, outsourcing, Illegal immigrants that don’t pay taxes and get full benefits courtesy of your dollars.
If all of you don’t make the right choice in 4th November 2008, not just for your President, but the other dead weight in Congress, your Country will look more like Ethiopia come 2009.
I wish you all well, (I really mean that)
“Most Europeans enjoy taxpayer healthcare, also when we retire at 65 we get 100% of our pay”
The socialist workers’ paradise that you describe in Europe and Canada is a figment of your imagination, or perhaps it’s what your press feeds you…
…In reality the unemployment rate in France is around 8%, Italy 7%, Germany 9%, Spain 10% and these are currently 10+ year lows! This is much higher than the 5.5% unemployment here in the United States. Why? Because the European governments cripple their job growth by spending massive amounts of money on welfare and socialized healthcare at the expense of taxpayers. Now I do agree that illegal immigration is a big problem and it’s something I’m weighing carefully in the upcoming elections, but it’s not one we have exclusively in America. Do you know why the EU constitution wasn’t ratified by the people of France and other European countries? Because they felt that it made it to easy for workers from poorer EU member states to migrate to their countries with guest worker visas and steal their jobs! So much for the peace, love, and harmony in the EU. And what about those “youth” rioting the past few years? Are they doing that because they love France so much they just want to go out and set fire to the countryside? I haven’t figured that one out yet.
Finally, regarding your “cheap shot” at Reagan. His mind was a sharp as a tack and he was in charge, until the day he left office, though sadly Alzheimers did rob him of his later years. The funny thing is the one scandal he had in office was Iran-Contra, and if I recall correctly it was about giving arms to IRAN not IRAQ. Maybe you should check your facts next time, comrade.
it was actually Israelis who sold the Iranians weapons, the U.S. just paid for them, and it wasn’t to fight Iraq, it was in exchange for prisoners, at that time the U.S. was allies with Iraq against the Iranians.
The Contra part came in when North diverted weapons to the anti-communist rebels (contras) in Nicaragua, that’s what caused the scandal.
A couple of thoughts:
1. Unemployment. Welfare is only one way to handle it. We should invest in our workers, e.g., in re-training programs, like Clinton’s admin did. We must improve basic education, so the workforce comes out flexible out of high school. I don’t think it will hurt the employment rate if vacation time is longer that 12 days.
2. Reagan - Alzheimer. Increase funding for medical research and health care (this will also increase employment in that sector), not the war machine. We don’t have another army in the world which even close to ours in their capabilities. Why we keep spending more than the rest of the world combined?
If we will have best living standards and our diplomats will know foreign languages and culture, other people will listen to us more. If one looks at the US from the outside, what they see - US military at every continent Katrina victims in the US, stupid TV shows, death penalty and Bush in the WH. This is not a pretty picture.
Jeez…I leave for a day, and look what I come home to. Ok…I’m not here to crank this crap back up, BUT I AM here to straighten a few things out:
1. America is NOT near collapse. - Every country, EVERY SINGLE ONE, including the BELOVED European nations experience times of excellent growth, and times of not great growth. Considering that wall street hit an ALL TIME HIGH not too long ago, it was expected, at least by me, that it would probably fall.
2. Everyone’s not going completely broke and being thrown out on the street because of the market. I - in fact - am STILL making money off of the market, as are many, MANY other people.
3. The reason why America can say who gets nukes and who doesn’t, is because WE are accountable ( I don’t care what you say, this is true) to FAR more countries than most other people. So, whether or not you can have them is based on your reasoning. Ours, Russia’s (though this is debatable), France’s, Israel’s, India’s, Pakistan’s, Britain’s, and most others, are there for protection. There’s that old theory of M.A.D. Iran has said, point blank, that they want them to wipe Israel off the map. North Korea has said some things as well, but at least they’ve agreed to negotiate…to a degree at least.
4. In terms of media, NO ONE, ESPECIALLY anyone from a Muslim country, has the right to say any-fucking-thing about our media. We have the most free media anywhere. Whoever said we were 48th…that’s horse shit. This is the only country in the world where the media can say whatever they want about anyone in the government, including the President, and need not worry about reprisals.
5. Our military - Our military is the greatest of any nation on this planet. THAT is why we police the world. We have the technology, the people, and the power to go anywhere and do anything. It’s not a question of whether people WANT us somewhere, it’s a question of whether they NEED us there. Iraq was done because Saddam was a crazy bastard who spent all of his free time killing mass numbers of people who weren’t happy about him being in power. He DID not allow free elections, he did NOT allow anyone to say anything negative about him. In terms of us dropping the bombs on Japan…ask yourself this question: Did we not ask Japan about surrendering? Most importantly, How many lives, both American and Japanese, would have been lost if we hadn’t? It’s something you need to think about.
6. The president - OK…Bush is not the most fantastic man on the planet. Everyone agrees. That being said, he’s something like Batman, to quote the Dark Knight, “He’s not the kind of hero we want right now, but he’s the hero we need right now.” Yeah, did he do some things that were pretty not cool, yes. Did he do the world’s best job? No. But, did he improve conditions for a WHOLE LOT of working people? Yes. Did he do his best to re-arm the military with the weapons we would come to need to protect ourselves (since Clinton spent his whole time in office cutting the military)? YES.
7. America in general - Are we the freest country in the world? YES. Do we stick our noses where it doesn’t belong? Yes. But ask yourself, what’s the alternative? You can say, “Don’t stick your nose in anyone’s business.” BUT, what about when someone attacks a nation we’re friendly with? Are we supposed to sit around and say, “Gee, I wish we could save you guys, but uh…we can’t get involved ya know?” That would be dumb. What would have happened had we done that in WWII? The damn Nazis and Japanese would have taken over the whole world. Should we pick out battles? Yes we should. If it was my decision, I’d put us under a bubble of protection, completely seal us off, and then tell the world to go help itself. I’d LOVE to see how long that would last. I do have to say, regarding the military, Iraq, etc. We should take care of what we’re on right now, then come back to our own country and fix everything that’s wrong here. We’ve been so busy helping everyone else for so long that we’ve overlook our own health. Clinton did it, Regan did it, Bush 1 and Bush 2 did it, Nixon did it…pretty much every president has done it. Don’t point fingers just because you don’t like Bush. That’s what’s wrong with all you Bush haters. Someone says, well gee i don’t hate him, and everyone just assumes “oh you LOVE him then?” Not true. I’m not the guy’s biggest fan, but there are many things he DID do that I agree with. Was he the best president? No. Was he the best choice AT THE TIME? Unquestionably. Knowing what I know now, would I go back and choose him again both times? Without question. As one of you said above, “He’s just saying what’s on his mind.” That’s why people don’t like him, as Americans, we’ve become so used to hearing politicians say things we WANT to hear, we’ve forgotten what it’s like to hear someone say something we don’t like.
8. Ahmadinejad - OK…here’s the big one. I don’t really care WHAT he thinks. He’s definitely not one that needs to be commenting on the state of economy in one’s country. Not just US but any country. The reason people like me get pissed off about what he says, is because of HOW he says it. First of all, he’s wrong about pretty much everything. Second, it would be different if he was president of a country that freely elected him, and one where he wasn’t a crazed, tyranical dictator. Yes, both him and our president speak their mind, I’m not debating that. What I’m saying is that as Ahmadinejad appears to be commpletely insane, and quite an idiot to boot, when he speaks his mind, it comes off simply as more craziness. Even IF he was right about ANYTHING he ever said, he’s made his image and he’s stuck with it. As I said, the other reason we get pissed off about him saying the things he does is that he’s wrong. He’s just-plain-wrong.
So, I’m not here to pick this debate back up, but I’m asking two things: CAREFULLY research things before you go off on tangents, and don’t come in here just to bash America and the President and then try to play it off like it hurts you to do so. I know it doesn’t, you know it doesn’t, most of us know it doesn’t, so just don’t try.
god, i leave the internet alone for 20 minutes and all hell breaks loose… i know the feeling you have there fox…
“i still cannot understand how the UN can’t see that he has forfeit his right to be diplomatic”
the UN gives people a chance, despite their past performance, its intended to be an international platform whether we like the content or not is irrelevant. they’ve never been too fond of iran themselves. besides, under our own constitution he’s entitled to his opinion, no matter how cracked out it is.
and he’s not so much a political dissident as a total fruit loop, if you put him in milk he’d get soggy and turn it pink.
and quinty, the reason muslims don’t eat pork is the same reason orthodox jews don’t, it’s old dietary restrictions stemming back to the times before proper sanitation when things like trichinosis were more common from pigs. you don’t want to run the jews out too do you? no, just the nut jobs and fruit loops who intend harm on others are the problem, not the entire group. to say that would be saying all christans are single minded bible thumping gun touting black hating rednecks when we know that is quite far from the truth.
well stated, we do have many of our own problems and a history of shooting ourselves in the foot foreign policy-wise. but then what country doesn’t or hasn’t fucked up in the past. some of our problems are more apparent than others, fixing them may be difficult but that is for us to do over time.
too much patriotism leads to nationalism in deadly amounts. look at the nazis, the japan of ww2 or iran itself for that matter.
my two big objections to the u.s. media is how narrow and tublike it can be (ie they pick one or two stories and beat them to death) and the inanity of pundits. however, i have the opportunity to pull in news from sources all over the world -uncensored- and get other thoughts on a huge array of stories. if i were in, say, china, this possibility would be snuffed out.
i don’t approve of all of the united states policies but i didn’t have a hand in making them; i’m just a citizen whose vote goes through the electoral college.
where the policies have fucked up there have been other times where they’ve come out just fine. like the purchase of alaska in 1867 many people considered it a grave mistake… what buying a chunk of frozen land. but it produced oil, natural gas and many other resources that have by far paid itself off.
sure we helped put noriega in power, sure we supported groups to fight against the soviets that ended up fighting us, sure we interned many innocent people of italian, japanese and german decent during ww2, sure we killed many native people within our own country in early settlement, sure we left iraqi allies standing on the steps of baghdad in 1990 to their death…
but we’ve also helped rebuild europe and japan after ww2 (see Marshall Plan etc) , helped establish international organizations like the UN, taken in many refugees and immigrants, acted as a middleman for numerous treaties including the camp david accords wherein israel was recognized and made peace with egypt (BIG deal… really), the dayton agreement and initives like the alliance for progress (eisenhower)
the united states has as much blood on its hands as any modern nation. we have to deal with it just like any other country would and find our own redemption. the world is a wicked place as history will testify and the sooner we (or rather those who hold power over average citizens) realize that and stop squabbling the better for all of us.
in the past several weeks i’ve had to defend myself as an american on several occasions. there are many people who dislike the actions of our government, everyone from my czech flatmate who believes the US and russia need to leave the czech republic the fuck alone (as do many of her countrymen apparently) to christian the swiss guy (and friend) who tells me I have no culture because devan (one of the other americans here) and i use ketchup as a condiment to the german guy in my soumi class who had some rather choice things to say about the states in general. and the russians? they’ve been jacking up the cost of a U.S tourist visa by the day (was 100 euro last i checked) further thwarting any suggestion i might travel to russia while i’m living so close.
i don’t like geroge bush (i think he has done many bad things for the nation as a whole… but he’s what we have), i don’t agree with all the policies put forth both domestic and foreign, i don’t always think our government is honest or open in matters that it should be but i do love my native land and i am proud to be a U.S. citizen. Why? Because of the theories and ideas that come with the title of citizen. though in practice flaws will occur (just like with any system) i have rights and the right to spit in the face of anyone who tries to take them from me be they a random guy on the street or the president of the united states.i wouldn’t give that up for the world.
being such and currently living as a guest in a different country, i have tried to paint a different picture for those skeptics i’ve encountered. not just by talking to them and trying to understand their sentiments but by trying to break many of their preconceived stereotypes by just being myself. some have been open, others not. it’s their choice to make. from these encounters though, i have learned that discussion and trying to understand other perspectives is by far a better approach than whacking someone on the head right off the bat. evidence of the effectiveness in diplomacy can be found in the number of ex-enemies we now count among our friends.
i give his (president fruit loop’s) remarks as much credence and regard as i give the remarks of the hotairbags the tv calls pundits. his remarks come from opinions more often than fact. and the facts are often more disturbing than any opinion of them could be.
we’re having a rough spot right now in part due to poor policy, in part due to a feeling of dread i think many are experiencing right now. with any luck it wont last long…