Iranian Prez Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (hereafter Ah-mad) spanks Spiegel as its interviewer tries to tame the wild man of Persia. In Germany's zeal to atone for its attempt to annihilate the Jews during Hitler's heyday, it has outlawed the denial of the Holocaust and continues to self-immolate. Whenever the freedom of speech is abridged (even for noble purposes), the devil's advocates will have an audience willing to believe and embrace the view spoken against a censorious government. Further, individuals (including young Germans) today are not apt to atone for their own sins much less those of their parents, grandparents, or fatherland. Ah-mad takes on Spiegel in both regards and tries to persuade the young and unknowing that Iran is misunderstood, that he is trying to find an equitable solution to the Palestinian problem, and that Germans should feel good about themselves again. An attractive message by Ah-mad albeit flawed a la the Furer!
Cf. http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,418660,00.html.
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3 comments:
On one hand, I laud the Spiegel for telling it to M- A- like it is. They didn't roll over when he denied the Holocaust and gave a strong defense against his distortions.
On the other hand, the interviewer falsely conceded that the US had lost the war in Iraq. This is such a misrepresentation of the current situation and to boldly assert such a claim borders on the audacious.
In the interview, I had the impression that Ah-mad, as you've aptly dubbed him, sounded like the snake in the Garden of Eden using slippery conceits to draw the German youth into the anti-Israel camp. As you pointed out, that is a likely consequence of Germany's censorious dealings with anti-holocaust proponents.
Seems like those who deny the Holocaust ever happened, like Ah-Mad(aptly written, James!), eventually get together, just like they did before WW2. During that time, as you probably know, Iraq and Hitler had much in common: Jew Hating. We will eventually have to take care of this madman by force. Perhaps, even by a cruise missle enema. Condi is just going through the motions to cover our backside.
I was talking with my insurance agent, Rick Walters, who just got back from serving in Iraq. He and some of our troops were doing border patrol, along the Iranian border and of course, there's no way to tell where Iraq stops and Iran begins and they, accidentally, found themselves in Iran. A local told them that they had gone astray and something else very interesting. He said, via a translator, that the madman in Tehran is going to get them all killed. Rick said that they talked with this guy for some time and he had absolutely no hostility towards them. Rick also said he received more cups of tea than bullets while in Iraq.
This encounter reminds me of what Reagan always asserted in that there are moderates in the country who will help us out, if necessary.
Jon, your insurance agent's anecdote should serve as a reminder that Iranians are a Persian vis-a-vis Arab country with a rich, diverse cultural history. It is demographically very young and pro-Western. Of course, Carter squandered America's interests in Iran by sacrificing the Shah and virtually welcoming the Ayatollah Khomeini. Now we are facing Ah-Mad and his vitriol against Israel and the U.S. Thank you, Mr. James Earl Carter: we trust you. After all, you and your brother in peace, Arafat, both received the esteemed Nobel Peace Prize.
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