I'm one of those people who tends to think the official version of what happened on September 11th, 2001 in Manhattan is a story full of holes, and there are still questions. But even I think this is an insane thing for a head of state to say - incendiary at best. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does it again...
But wait! The comments that 'many believe' the US was complicit in the 9-11 attacks, will be what the world's media focus on, regarding this walkout... but be careful not to miss the other quotes and memorable developments surrounding this - such as Ahmadinejad suggesting that the veto power in the Security Council be scrapped, or President Obama saying previously that an Israeli attack on Iran would not be 'ideal'. These may go unnoticed by many, quick to pour scorn on Iran's outspoken leader.
US diplomats lead walkout as the Iranian president tells UN General Assembly some think the US was behind 9/11 attacks.
US diplomats and other Western delegations have walked out of a United Nations summit as the Iranian president said some believe the 9/11 attacks on the US was the work of Americans to save Israel.
Two US officials led the walkout as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the General Assemly in New York on Thursday. They were quickly followed by the British and other Western delegations.
Ahmadinejad said there was a theory that "some segments within the US government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime.
"The majority of the American people as well as other nations and politicians agree with this view," he said.
PJ Crowley, the US assistant secretary of state, told Al Jazeera the statement was "totally outrageous".
"[Those killed in the attacks] were people of all faiths, all nationalities. They were killed by 19 people, a plot perpetrated by al-Qaeda," he said.
"We know who did it and they have admitted who did it. This idea that nine years later there is still some debate about who did it and why is outrageous."
Lawrence Cannon, Canada's foreign minister, called Ahmadinejad's comments "unacceptable" and "a blatant violation of international standards and of the very spirit of the UN".
About 3,000 people died when hijackers crashed planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and a fourth aircraft plummeted into a Pennsylvania field in 2001.
'9/11 denier'
Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, said: "[Ahmadinejad's] attack on the traditional version of the 9/11 story was similar to his attack on the traditional version of the holocaust.
"So you can now say President Ahmadinejad is both a 9/11 denier and a Holocaust denier.
"And that simply does not set a positive tone for any negotiations with the Americans, but also underlines that Iran is not interested in talks anytime soon."
Ahmadinejad briefly touched on the four sets of UN sanctions imposed on his country over Tehran's refusal stop enriching uranium and to prove Iran is not trying to build an atomic bomb.
Some members of the Security Council have "equated nuclear energy with nuclear bombs," Ahmadinejad said.
He accused the US of building up its nuclear arsenal instead of dismantling it and reiterated his call for a nuclear-free world.
The UN Security Council in June imposed a fourth set of sanctions against Iran and the European Union and the US have added even more extensive sanctions targeting its foreign trade.
Iran insists that its nuclear programme has only peaceful intentions.
In his speech, Ahmadinejad condemned some of the permanent members of the UN Security Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the US - for monopolising nuclear power.
He said the criticism of Iran comes "at the same time they have continued to maintain, expand and upgrade their own nuclear arsenals."
He said 2011 should be declared a year of nuclear disarmament - "Nuclear Energy for All, Nuclear Weapons for None".
Ahmadinejad said that Iran was ready for negotiations but dismissed suggestions that such an act would be giving in to international pressure.
"We have never submitted to illegally imposed pressures nor will we ever do so. It has been said that they want to pressure Iran into a dialogue," he said.
"Firstly, Iran has always been ready for a dialogue based on respect and justice. Secondly, methods based on disrespecting nations have long become ineffective."
US 'door open'
Hours before Ahmadinejad's speech, Barack Obama, the US president, told the General Assembly that the US was open to diplomacy with Iran only if it proves that its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.
"The United States and the international community seek a resolution to our differences with Iran, and the door remains open to diplomacy should Iran choose to walk through it," he said.
"But the Iranian government must demonstrate a clear and credible commitment, and confirm to the world the peaceful intent of its nuclear programme."
However, Obama also noted that he made the same overture, in the same forum, a year ago, and tensions continue.
About 800 people including many of Iranian origin protested outside the UN headquarters as Ahmadinejad was attending the General Assembly.
They chanted "Ahmadinejad is a terrorist" and staged a street performance depicting people stained with fake blood and scenes of hanging and stoning.
"It is time for the international community to stop dealing with Ahmadinejad and finally recognise and empower the opposition, so that the Iranian people can finally get the democratic change it deserves," Ali Safavi, a demonstrator, said.
Many of the demonstrators were affiliated with the the People's Mujahidin Organisation of Iran, which is officially listed as a foreign terrorist organisation in the US, although a judge ruled in July that it should be removed from the blacklist.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11402101
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139756
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/walkout-drama-at-un-over-irans-vile-911-claims-14957415.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/richard-adams-blog/2010/sep/23/mahmoud-ahmadinejad-un-september-11-attacks
http://www.irannewsdaily.com/home.asp?id=13&Val=POLITICAL
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/23/ahmadinejad-un-speech-vid_n_297682.html
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=36110&Cr=iran&Cr1=
ok this is weird -
AntwortenLöschenThe much-anticipated speech has now left many wondering what actually went wrong as the Iranian president's speech ended the same way as it started, without any translation.
it is not what he said on Tuesday that has made the news but what happened during the simultaneous translation of his speech, which has caused controversy.
Right from the start, his speech was overshadowed by technical problems, as the president was heard saying: "There's no translation". These problems continued to cause confusion two minutes into his speech. All this was followed by an ominous announcement: "The interpreters would like to state that they are reading from a written text translated into English". With that, the translation stopped altogether.
from the translation "The world needs to be governed by virtuous people like the Divine Prophets."
BTW - digging in to this story; I got confused - the same thing happen in APR 2009
AntwortenLöschena good summation " A spokesman from the US mission to the UN released a statement: "Rather than representing the aspirations and goodwill of the Iranian people, Mr Ahmadinejad has yet again chosen to spout vile conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic slurs that are as abhorrent and delusional as they are predictable."
AntwortenLöschenJust as most "elected officials" do, Give the people what they dont need.
AntwortenLöschenIt's too bad Ahmadinejad is such an ass. Iran has some serious gripes that, if articulated without the blatant attempts to piss people off, might result in reasonable dialog.
AntwortenLöschenThe US involvement with Iran's nuclear program goes back to 1953, right after we helped overthrow their government on behalf of the UK and BP, when we encouraged and assisted the Shah to start one. By 1967 we had provided them with a research reactor fueled by highly enriched uranium, and 23 nuclear power plants were planned.
After the 1979 revolution, the US not only cut off supplies of nuclear fuel and assistance, but pressured most other countries, and the IAEA to do so as well. It was made clear to Iran that they could not depend on importing enriched uranium. This led to the decision to enrich their own.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_program_of_Iran
A look at the entire history of Iranian nuclear development and the US adds perspective to this issue. It might be sensible to overlook the obnoxiousness of Iran's President and impartially study the facts.
lol of of the few infamous mistranslations. I am no fan whatsoever of this man , nor am I a fan
AntwortenLöschenof deliberate mistranslation to incite hatred .
The holcaust denial is another mistranslation ... and no gays ...
As he is a real ass anyway why not give us the true translations
Fear grows in darkness; if you think there’s a bogeyman around, turn on the light.”
Dorothy Thompson
President Ahmadinejad, the West object as the latest Iranian bogeyman, - the lies the mis translations & media distortions show alethophobia, (the fear of the truth, ) is alive and well in the West.
yes indeed Operation Ajax and we backed the Shah & his horrendous cruelty ( The Savak secret police )
AntwortenLöschenAs much as Ahmadinejad brain functions has always interested me in my studies to find any possible comparison to other insane leaders. I have reached the conclusion that not all species of man evolve or for that matter even devolve back to a single celled organism in muddy waters. I have firmly come to the conclusion that some actually branch out into a disillusioned and highly confused vermis. LOL
AntwortenLöschenHe's a nutter.
AntwortenLöschenYes. Such as his comment about scrapping of veto power that only a few nations have. That is a reasonable concern and several times the US has been alone in vetoing proposals that would have promoted peace.
AntwortenLöschen