Khatami Spins At The National Cathedral
I'm taking a step back from the controversy surrounding ABC's miniseries. While many in the blogosphere (Marcie, included) have raised a stink about this, and continue to do so, there is no way to get the appeasers to stop their games. End of story. And honestly, it's not worth the bluster that's going on. ABC screwed the pooch when they injected things into the miniseries that were contnetious to the point of being false. Credit them for an even-handed attempt, at least. It's their fault for caving in.
And yes, I do think that this little game played by the DNC will have repercussions in November. Not as strong as some believe, but America's not going to look too favorably on the Democrats for their veiled threats, and their opposition to free speech. But, again, it's not worth spending too much time on it.
I'd rather focus on the spin put forth by Mohammed Khatami last night, and the Washington Times has the story:
Former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami yesterday defended his country's nuclear program and rejected suggestions that freedom and human rights in Iran had deteriorated under his hard-line successor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr. Khatami, who is considered a moderate in Iran's political spectrum, told reporters at the Washington National Cathedral shortly before delivering a speech on "dialogue of civilizations" that Iran's nuclear effort is peaceful and that the world should focus on the atomic arsenals of Israel and other states before criticizing Iran.
At the press conference, Mr. Khatami said Iran could discuss suspending its nuclear program once talks with the West had begun. After meeting with reporters he addressed an audience of about 1,200 people at the cathedral.
That also was a paraphrase of the official Iranian position that there should be talks without preconditions.
Mr. Khatami appeared to be warning the United States against using force against Iran, saying this would never resolve the standoff over Iran's suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Iran would not give up its nuclear program in the face of outside pressure, he said. "We must eliminate the language for the dialogue to be successful."
Dressed in a full-length black robe and black turban, Mr. Khatami said Iran's political system should not be judged by the standards of established Western democracies because the United States' own human rights record is not perfect.
"Iran has its problems, but they are not greater than the violations of human rights we saw at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo," he said.
As Mr. Khatami spoke, a crowd of about 50 demonstrators gathered across the street from the cathedral, waving U.S. and Iranian flags and demanding freedom for the Iranian people.
In Berlin, meanwhile, the United States and five other countries remained deadlocked in negotiations over whether to punish Iran for continuing its nuclear program in defiance of the U.N. Security Council.
Mr. Khatami acknowledged that his two-week American tour had been criticized by religious hard-liners in Iran, but he said he did not think that Iran had regressed under Mr. Ahmadinejad.
"I don't think things have reversed," he said. "Of course their interpretation may be different than mine, but on women and youth, the new president has said things that are very hopeful."
Yes, yes. The people of Iran have a lot of "hope" now that Ahmadinejad has decided that a crackdown is necessary on dissidents. He has been very heavy-handed about these people calling for reforms and freedom his country. He has announced that there will be a purge of scularists from the education establishment. Yet Mr. Khatami states that there is no regression in Iran.
What irritates me the most about this man's visit (aside from the fact he was even allowed to be here) is that this trip was nothing more than a propoganda campaign against the US, on our own soil, when it comes to relations with Iran. Let me put this in terms that the Left and Mr. Khatami can understand.
As of right now, the only relations either nation has with one another is the possibility of negotiations. That's it. We're still enemies. We have been ever since 1979, and in fact Iran is still on the State Department s**t list for sponsoring terror in the region. Further, Iran is a nation that praised Hezbollah recently for their actions in the Israeli/Hezbollah conflict. They have stated, time and again, that Israel will be destroyed. And they flatly refuse to end their enrichment before negotiations start.
These are not the actions of a nation willing to talk things out. This is the rhetoric from a regime that is determined to teach the West--it's own blood enemies--a lesson they'll not forget. And here we sit, idly twiddling our thumbs, as one of their main propogandists speak to people here in America. It's sick to watch this unfold. I'm in favor of free speech as much as the next guy (at least the next guy who understands the concept), but Mr. Khatami isn't a citizen of this nation, and should not be allowed to indulge in the liberties we exercise daily. Unfortunately for us, we just did.
No for those who look at this and ask why I'm being such a pain over this State Department decision, I answer simply that I don't like emboldening his followers here in America. That includes CAIR. That includes the radicals--both homegrown and those from other nations living here. Those followers, those believers will buy the rhetoric hook, line, and sinker, and never give a thought to the repercussions that could occur should Iran be allowed to continue on it's merry way towards perfecting their nuclear program.
They say that their purposes are peaceful. Yes, and so were the Russians. Hitler only wanted to create a Germany that he believed should have existed. And Stalin was an agrarian reformer. But in the end, Hitler still tried to take over Europe and Russia. Stalin was dead set on creating a Communist world. And Iran still wants the return of the Great Persian Empire of old, in addition to a nice little worldwide caliphate. And these people have no compunction, whatsoever, of utilizing the most destructive weapons known to man. Now Hitler was defeated, and thank God for that. Stalin died, but his dream lived on until the lat 1980s with the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the fall of Communism in Europe.
Ahmadinejad and his Iran needs to fall, too. there will be no chance for peace inthe Middle East as long as Iran continues to move ahead on it's nuclear program unfettered and unaccounted for. I do hope Mr. Khatami enjoyed his visit here, and I hope ahmadinejad enjoys his visit to the UN slated for the 19th of this month; just hours after the president has addressed the General Assembly. And hopefully, this will be their last time coming to the US.
Publius II
I'm taking a step back from the controversy surrounding ABC's miniseries. While many in the blogosphere (Marcie, included) have raised a stink about this, and continue to do so, there is no way to get the appeasers to stop their games. End of story. And honestly, it's not worth the bluster that's going on. ABC screwed the pooch when they injected things into the miniseries that were contnetious to the point of being false. Credit them for an even-handed attempt, at least. It's their fault for caving in.
And yes, I do think that this little game played by the DNC will have repercussions in November. Not as strong as some believe, but America's not going to look too favorably on the Democrats for their veiled threats, and their opposition to free speech. But, again, it's not worth spending too much time on it.
I'd rather focus on the spin put forth by Mohammed Khatami last night, and the Washington Times has the story:
Former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami yesterday defended his country's nuclear program and rejected suggestions that freedom and human rights in Iran had deteriorated under his hard-line successor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr. Khatami, who is considered a moderate in Iran's political spectrum, told reporters at the Washington National Cathedral shortly before delivering a speech on "dialogue of civilizations" that Iran's nuclear effort is peaceful and that the world should focus on the atomic arsenals of Israel and other states before criticizing Iran.
At the press conference, Mr. Khatami said Iran could discuss suspending its nuclear program once talks with the West had begun. After meeting with reporters he addressed an audience of about 1,200 people at the cathedral.
That also was a paraphrase of the official Iranian position that there should be talks without preconditions.
Mr. Khatami appeared to be warning the United States against using force against Iran, saying this would never resolve the standoff over Iran's suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Iran would not give up its nuclear program in the face of outside pressure, he said. "We must eliminate the language for the dialogue to be successful."
Dressed in a full-length black robe and black turban, Mr. Khatami said Iran's political system should not be judged by the standards of established Western democracies because the United States' own human rights record is not perfect.
"Iran has its problems, but they are not greater than the violations of human rights we saw at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo," he said.
As Mr. Khatami spoke, a crowd of about 50 demonstrators gathered across the street from the cathedral, waving U.S. and Iranian flags and demanding freedom for the Iranian people.
In Berlin, meanwhile, the United States and five other countries remained deadlocked in negotiations over whether to punish Iran for continuing its nuclear program in defiance of the U.N. Security Council.
Mr. Khatami acknowledged that his two-week American tour had been criticized by religious hard-liners in Iran, but he said he did not think that Iran had regressed under Mr. Ahmadinejad.
"I don't think things have reversed," he said. "Of course their interpretation may be different than mine, but on women and youth, the new president has said things that are very hopeful."
Yes, yes. The people of Iran have a lot of "hope" now that Ahmadinejad has decided that a crackdown is necessary on dissidents. He has been very heavy-handed about these people calling for reforms and freedom his country. He has announced that there will be a purge of scularists from the education establishment. Yet Mr. Khatami states that there is no regression in Iran.
What irritates me the most about this man's visit (aside from the fact he was even allowed to be here) is that this trip was nothing more than a propoganda campaign against the US, on our own soil, when it comes to relations with Iran. Let me put this in terms that the Left and Mr. Khatami can understand.
As of right now, the only relations either nation has with one another is the possibility of negotiations. That's it. We're still enemies. We have been ever since 1979, and in fact Iran is still on the State Department s**t list for sponsoring terror in the region. Further, Iran is a nation that praised Hezbollah recently for their actions in the Israeli/Hezbollah conflict. They have stated, time and again, that Israel will be destroyed. And they flatly refuse to end their enrichment before negotiations start.
These are not the actions of a nation willing to talk things out. This is the rhetoric from a regime that is determined to teach the West--it's own blood enemies--a lesson they'll not forget. And here we sit, idly twiddling our thumbs, as one of their main propogandists speak to people here in America. It's sick to watch this unfold. I'm in favor of free speech as much as the next guy (at least the next guy who understands the concept), but Mr. Khatami isn't a citizen of this nation, and should not be allowed to indulge in the liberties we exercise daily. Unfortunately for us, we just did.
No for those who look at this and ask why I'm being such a pain over this State Department decision, I answer simply that I don't like emboldening his followers here in America. That includes CAIR. That includes the radicals--both homegrown and those from other nations living here. Those followers, those believers will buy the rhetoric hook, line, and sinker, and never give a thought to the repercussions that could occur should Iran be allowed to continue on it's merry way towards perfecting their nuclear program.
They say that their purposes are peaceful. Yes, and so were the Russians. Hitler only wanted to create a Germany that he believed should have existed. And Stalin was an agrarian reformer. But in the end, Hitler still tried to take over Europe and Russia. Stalin was dead set on creating a Communist world. And Iran still wants the return of the Great Persian Empire of old, in addition to a nice little worldwide caliphate. And these people have no compunction, whatsoever, of utilizing the most destructive weapons known to man. Now Hitler was defeated, and thank God for that. Stalin died, but his dream lived on until the lat 1980s with the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the fall of Communism in Europe.
Ahmadinejad and his Iran needs to fall, too. there will be no chance for peace inthe Middle East as long as Iran continues to move ahead on it's nuclear program unfettered and unaccounted for. I do hope Mr. Khatami enjoyed his visit here, and I hope ahmadinejad enjoys his visit to the UN slated for the 19th of this month; just hours after the president has addressed the General Assembly. And hopefully, this will be their last time coming to the US.
Publius II
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 4:47 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home