Iran's Ahmadinejad wants to debate Obama at UN

[John317]

Iran's Ahmadinejad wants to debate Obama at UN

Mon May 25, 1:38 pm ET

TEHRAN, Iran – Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proposed on Monday a face-to-face debate with President Barack Obama at the United Nations if he is re-elected next month as Iran's president.

But he balanced the offer with a sharp rebuke to Washington and its allies over Iran's nuclear program. He reiterated that Iran would never abandon its advances in uranium enrichment in exchange for offers of easing sanctions or other economic incentives.

The nuclear issue "is closed," he told a news conference.

Obama has urged a "serious process of engagement" after Iran's elections in an effort to end a nearly 30-year diplomatic chill. However last week, the American leader said the U.S. was prepared to seek deeper international sanctions against Tehran if it did not respond positively to the attempts to open negotiations on its nuclear program. Obama set a year-end deadline for Iran to show it wanted to engage with Washington.

The tough talk on nuclear negotiations following Iran's test last week of a long-range missile appear aimed at burnishing Ahmadinejad's hard-line credentials in the election campaign against another conservative and two pro-reform candidates.

His offer of to debate Obama could also be campaign posturing before the June 12 vote. But it does put Ahmadinejad on record as supporting a potentially groundbreaking encounter following Obama's offer for dialogue.

Ahmadinejad said that, if re-elected, he would be open to "debate global issues as well as world peace and security" during the U.N. General Assembly in September.

There was no immediate reaction from Washington.

On the nuclear issue, Ahmadinejad ruled out talks with the U.S. He said Iran's stand is "crystal clear" and Tehran would only discuss the subject within the framework of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Ahmadinejad has often denounced the West for trying to pressure Iran to give up it uranium enrichment program, a process that can produce fuel for both nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. Tehran insists it is only to fuel peaceful reactors, but the West worries could lead to nuclear weapons development.

His latest comments appear to be part of a campaign strategy to portray himself as the only candidate capable to defending Iran's nuclear technology.

Last week, he accused his reformist predecessor, Mohammad Khatami, of bringing "humiliation" on Iran by agreeing to suspend uranium enrichment from 2003-5 as a confidence-building measure with the West.

That also served as a direct shot at Ahmadinejad's main reformist challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, who is backed by Khatami.

Ahmadinejad also faces another hard-liner, former Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei, and a moderate, former parliament speaker Mahdi Karroubi, in the four-way race.

Mousavi attacked Ahmadinejad's handling of the economy at a campaign rally in the northwestern city of Tabriz on Monday. Unemployment is rising and inflation has reached 25 percent, making the economy one of the president's most vulnerable points among voters.

"Iran is a rich country. Poverty is not our destiny. It's the government's mismanagement that has taken us here," Mousavi told tens of thousands of cheering supporters.

The campaign took a bitter turn over the weekend when reformists accused Ahmadinejad's supporters in the Islamic regime of blocking the popular social networking site Facebook, which has become an important tool to mobilize Iran's crucial youth vote.

More than half Iran's population was born after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and young voters represent a huge potential bloc for pro-reform candidates.

Ahmadinejad sidestepped questions about whether authorities ordered a Facebook block late last week. But he said he believed "in maximum freedom of expression."

"There are many Web sites active in the world that can be accessed in Iran. Many Web sites are against the government," he said, adding that officials "don't need to shut any sites shut down."

But Iran has cut off access to many blogs and Web sites critical of the Islamic regime and its ruling clerics. Media groups and others have strongly criticized Iran's clampdown on the web.

Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a former vice president and a top adviser to Karroubi's campaign, called the Facebook block "painful news for young and educated Iranians."

"(Ruling authorities) would only like their voice heard," he wrote in an e-mailed protest, claiming his own Facebook site had attracted more than 3,000 followers. "Any other voice (for them) is intolerable."

[carolaa]

China has nuclear weapons, and their human rights abuses are worse than Iran's. The main reason we are concerned about Iran is because Israel is concerned about Iran.

[Dr. Shane]

Because Iran has said they want to annihilate Israel.

[carolaa]

That was a mistranslation that has been repeated so often that many people believe it.

[carolaa]

I think Netanyahu is more of a madman than Ahmadinejad is.

[Dr. Shane]

Ahmadinejad is much more dangerous than any Israeli is. The key to peace lies with the Arabs. There is no peace because the militant Arabs don't want peace. If and when the militant Arabs decide they want peace, there will be peace.

[carolaa]

It definitely goes both ways. If the Israelis were not so antagonistic and uncooperative, the chances of peace would be much greater. The Israelis are just as militant as the Arabs.

[phkrause]

I agree with you that the Israeli's are antagonistic and uncooperative, after years of agreeing, and agreeing, and agreeing, and agreeing, and agreeing, and agreeing with one peace treaty after another, just to have the palestinians say yes and than hamas and hezbollah say NO WAY.

pk

[Dr. Shane]

The boarders in the Middle East were drawn up by the colonial powers. Arabs are Arabs as far as race is concerned. Those in Egypt are not a different race or ethnicity than those in Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan or Syria. So the idea that the Palestinians need a homeland is really just a strawman. Sadly, the Palestinians are powerless about the situation. If the surrounding Arab states would grant citizenship to Palestinians, there would be peace and that would be the end of the conflict. However peace is not what these other Arab states want. They want conflict. They want to kill every single last Jew. Until these other Arab states wants peace, there will be no peace. Short of every Jew in Israel committing suicide, there is little Israel can do to bring about peace.

[phkrause]

Good post Shane, couldn't have said it better myself. Both hamas and hezbollah have sworn to kill all Jews.

pk

[carolaa]

Israel is the one who forced the Palestinians off their own land, with little to no compensation. Israel is the one who refuses to abide by the peace agreements. Israel has murdered thousands of Palestinians compared with the tens of Israelis that Palestinians have murdered. Israel is the one who refuses to stop expanding into Palestinian territory. Israel is the one with the arrogant attitude of entitlement.

Why is this little country being allowed to bully our entire Middle East policy? If it wasn't for us and our support of Israel's atrocities, the fighting would have been over long ago.

[Dr. Shane]

Israel is the one who forced the Palestinians off their own land, with little to no compensation.

[carolaa]

Mostly it is Israel who breaks peace agreements and Hamas strikes back. Why are we defending and supporting Israel's brutality?

The Arabs wouldn't have killed all the Jews. The Jews would have moved into other countries and settled there.

[Dr. Shane]

There is plenty of land there for both to coexist. There is absolutely no reason that Palestinians cannot move to live in Egypt, Jordan, Syria or Lebanon. Peace is up to the Arab states in the area. Israel doesn't have the power to create peace in the region.

[carolaa]

Israel has power to commit war crimes, ignore their own peace agreements, and wreak havoc in the region. And the U.S. is supporting them in doing those things.

[Dr. Shane]

Well, any time the Arab states in the region want to solve the problem all they have to do is grant citizenship to the Palestinians. It is a pretty easy solution if they want it. Problem is, they don't want a solution without that doesn't include death to all the Jews.

[carolaa]

So what is it exactly that Ahmedinejad wants to debate with Obama?

[bonnie]

Israel has power to commit war crimes, ignore their own peace agreements, and wreak havoc in the region. And the U.S. is supporting them in doing those things.

Can you show me some type of independent source that can show or document war crimes by Israel?

And ignoring their own peace agreements

[fccool]

Bonnie... google UN resolutions against Israel. Even the most recent conflict was based on Israel blockade of Palestine (Blockade is an act of war)... not allowing food and medical supplies enter Palestine because they concerned that these were weapons.

Israel is notorious for punishing the entire population of the country for the attacks of the extremists... I.E. bombing hospitals, water and electricity plants.

It's really hard to find the "right" side in this conflict. Both sides have plenty of blood on their hands. But, I guess the most idiotic thing to me is that both sides value a piece of land much more than human lives who occupy it. It's the idiocy of the first class which I can not respect. In this case I side with Palestinians, because they are trapped inside, while Israeli do have an option to immigrate elsewhere and live in peace. This would be my first priority on the list if I lived in either of these nations. Why put your family through such anguish for some illusion of "national pride"?

[bonnie]

Quote:

Bonnie... google UN resolutions against Israel. Even the most recent conflict was based on Israel blockade of Palestine (Blockade is an act of war)... not allowing food and medical supplies enter Palestine because they concerned that these were weapons.

I have absolutely no faith in much of what the UN has to say.

I don't follow much of the Israel/Palestine fight so can you explain why Israel saw it as necessary to blockade ? What came before that? Or have they been duped previously as to food and medical supplies? Did they have a reason to ne concerned about weapons?

Quote:

Israel is notorious for punishing the entire population of the country for the attacks of the extremists... I.E. bombing hospitals, water and electricity plants.

As opposed to suicide bombers being selective in who they kill besides themselves.

Can you show me where they deliberately bombed hospitals?

Quote:

But, I guess the most idiotic thing to me is that both sides value a piece of land much more than human lives who occupy it. It's the idiocy of the first class which I can not respect. In this case I side with Palestinians, because they are trapped inside, while Israeli do have an option to immigrate elsewhere and live in peace. This would be my first priority on the list if I lived in either of these nations. Why put your family through such anguish for some illusion of "national pride"?

Seems to me the US has fought long and hard at times to protect our "piece of land". Perhaps we should have stepped back and willingly handed over to whatever nation wanted to take over.

Tell me where the Israeli are to go? Can the Palestinians do as suggested by Shane or is there a demand they stay right where they are? Why would Palestinians put their families through such anguish? Especially knowing their son or daughter blew themselves to bits while killing others for "national pride"

Personally I have a great deal of respect for Israel. Not to many races have gone thru what they have and are as resilient as they are.

[carolaa]

Well, any time the Arab states in the region want to solve the problem all they have to do is grant citizenship to the Palestinians. It is a pretty easy solution if they want it. Problem is, they don't want a solution without that doesn't include death to all the Jews.

Well, really, who can blame them, considering the way the Jews have treated them. I suppose any time you give in to bullies, you will have peace.

[carolaa]

Personally I have a great deal of respect for Israel. Not to many races have gone thru what they have and are as resilient as they are.

Resilient is an interesting way to put it. I kind of have to choke on that one. Lots of races have faced genocide and even extermination. In my opinion, the Israelis - especially with Netanyahu - are just bullies, and incredibly bold ones at that.

[carolaa]

Originally Posted By: carolaa

Israel has power to commit war crimes, ignore their own peace agreements, and wreak havoc in the region. And the U.S. is supporting them in doing those things.

Can you show me some type of independent source that can show or document war crimes by Israel?

And ignoring their own peace agreements

No, I'm not going to spend a lot of time looking for sources for you because I don't know what sources you will have confidence in. But you can feel free to do your own search for Gaza timeline or Israel war crimes. There's plenty of stuff out there. A couple quick examples: It is pretty common knowledge that Israel broke the ceasefire this past November. And the ICRC has condemned Israel for war crimes.

[bonnie]

Originally Posted By: bonnie

Personally I have a great deal of respect for Israel. Not to many races have gone thru what they have and are as resilient as they are.

Resilient is an interesting way to put it. I kind of have to choke on that one. Lots of races have faced genocide and even extermination. In my opinion, the Israelis - especially with Netanyahu - are just bullies, and incredibly bold ones at that.

Very few races have faced what they have down thru the ages. How many faced a holocoust of the magnitude they have and landed on their feet. Lots of races have faced genocide but few regroup as quickly as the Jewish people.

Sorry if you choke but they are a resilient people. Right or wrong they should have been defeated several times over. Generally facing an enemy far bigger than they.

You seem to think they are the beginning and the end of the problems there.

I still would like to know what that is based on. I haven't followed that closely. Has Israel used suicide bombers to kill bystanders and just because they can?

What has preceded the latest happenings there?

[carolaa]

I could be wrong, but I don't think I've never heard of the Palestinians using suicide bombers. Israel has murdered over a thousand innocent Palestinians - including many women and children. Very few of the Palestinian rockets have killed Israelis.

The reason the Jews landed on their feet is because they had many people who helped them, not because they are so resilient. I don't believe any one people is more resilient than another.

But no matter, because what they are doing right now to the Palestinians is horrific. You'd think that a people who had been through such a painful past would know exactly what they are putting other people through right now, which, one could argue, makes their actions even worse. And they are so arrogant about it.