Ahmadinejad Interviewed By Time

Mike Wallace, eat your heart out. Time Magazine got an exclusive interview with President Ahmadinejad, and needless to say, they were a bit bolder in their questons that Mr. Wallace was. Charles Johnson @ LGF has the report about the new-age president that just proclaims he just wants everyone to love each other. (Right, and we are going to trust the wolf in sheep's clothing?)

TIME: You recently invited President Bush to a televised debate. If he were sitting where I am sitting, what would you say, man to man?

Ahmadinejad: The issues which are of interest to us are the international issues and how to manage them. I gave some recommendations to President Bush in my personal letter, and I hope that he will take note of them. I would ask him, Are rationalism, spirituality and humanitarianism and logic—are they bad things for human beings? Why more conflict? Why should we go for hostilities? Why should we develop weapons of mass destruction? Everybody can love one another.

TIME: Do you feel any connection with President Bush, since he is also a religious man, a strong Christian?

Ahmadinejad: I’ve heard about that. But there are many things which take place and are inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ in this world.

TIME: Why do your supporters chant “Death to America”?

Ahmadinejad: When they chanted that slogan, it means they hate aggression, and they hate bullying tactics, and they hate violations of the rights of nations and discrimination. I recommended to President Bush that he can change his behavior, then everything will change.

TIME: How do you think the American people feel when they hear Iranians shouting “Death to America” and the President of Iran does not criticize this?
Ahmadinejad: The nations do not have any problems. What is the role of the American people in what is happening in the world? The people of the United States are also seeking peace, love, friendship and justice. ...

TIME: You have been quoted as saying Israel should be wiped off the map. Was that merely rhetoric, or do you mean it?

Ahmadinejad: People in the world are free to think the way they wish. We do not insist they should change their views. Our position toward the Palestinian question is clear: we say that a nation has been displaced from its own land. Palestinian people are killed in their own lands, by those who are not original inhabitants, and they have come from far areas of the world and have occupied those homes. Our suggestion is that the 5 million Palestinian refugees come back to their homes, and then the entire people on those lands hold a referendum and choose their own system of government. This is a democratic and popular way. Do you have any other suggestions?

TIME: Do you believe the Jewish people have a right to their own state?

Ahmadinejad: We do not oppose it. In any country in which the people are ready to vote for the Jews to come to power, it is up to them. In our country, the Jews are living and they are represented in our Parliament. But Zionists are different from Jews.

TIME: Have you considered that Iranian Jews are hurt by your comments denying that 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust?

Ahmadinejad: As to the Holocaust, I just raised a few questions. And I didn’t receive any answers to my questions. I said that during World War II, around 60 million were killed. All were human beings and had their own dignities. Why only 6 million? And if it had happened, then it is a historical event. Then why do they not allow independent research?

TIME: But massive research has been done.

Ahmadinejad: They put in prison those who try to do research. About historical events everybody should be free to conduct research. Let’s assume that it has taken place. Where did it take place? So what is the fault of the Palestinian people? These questions are quite clear. We are waiting for answers.

And honestly speaking, he can wait until the cows come home. The British pulled out of the Palestinian Mandate; land they were supposed to oversee after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. After World War II, that land being under Britian's control, weas then set aside for Israel. No offense to President Ahmadinejad, but this is old news, and Israel is going nowhere unless he is going to wipe them off the map.

And speaking of which, it was him that stated they would wipe Israel off the map using a nuclear weapon. Yet in the interview he states the following:

TIME: Are America and Iran fated to be in conflict?
Ahmadinejad: No, this is not fate. And this can come to an end. I have said we can run the world through logic. We are living our own lives. The U.S. government should not interfere in our affairs. They should live their own lives. They should serve the interests of the U.S. people. They should not interfere in our affairs. Then there would be no problems with that.

TIME: Are you ready to open direct negotiations with the U.S.?

Ahmadinejad: We have given them a letter, a lengthy letter. We say the U.S. Administration should change its behavior, and then everything will be solved. It was the U.S. which broke up relations with us. We didn't take that position. And then they should make up for it.

TIME: Does Iran have the right to nuclear weapons?

Ahmadinejad: We are opposed to nuclear weapons. We think it has been developed just to kill human beings. It is not in the service of human beings. For that reason, last year in my address to the U.N. General Assembly, I suggested that a committee should be set up in order to disarm all the countries that possess nuclear weapons.

Fat chance of that hapopening in America, screw-ball. We developed them, and we sure would like to keep them. There is no way that every nation with nuclear weapons is going to give them up. And do not think for a second that Israel will give up theirs either. It is an extremely powerful deterrent, MAD is. It keeps the civilized nations in check with the knowledge that if anyone jumps the gun, and lights one off, there are going to be repercussions from their neighbors, or the United States.

I do not know what the point of this interview was for Time, other than stating that they got the interview. While it may be the head of a state, surely they must understand that they are giving him propoganda space in their magazine. That is all this interview was. It was a chance for President Ahmadinejad to state his peace--make love not war, use logic not emotion--and so on. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

He made his points. Good for him. Now if you will excuse me I am going to go retch.

Marcie