Iranian leader slams U.S. as greatest threat to global security

Wednesday 09th July, 05:34 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Latest 15 of 85 Total Comments Show All

Betzee at 10:40 AM JST - 10th July

Earlier this year the GWB administration designated African oil as a “strategic national interest” which raises the specter of using American military force to protect it, presumably to assure continued pumping in the face of domestic social unrest rather than squaring off against the Chinese PLA.

Whereas in Iraq there was at least the semblance of a direct threat to US national security, by contrast the use of military force in conflict-ridden Nigeria would be difficult to defend as anything other than motivated by purely economic concerns.
RascalFromKochi at 10:47 AM JST - 10th July

Ahmadinejad is a brilliant politician, both domestically and internationally. He is further fortunate that both his domestic constituency and his international constituency are responsive to the same rhetoric--bash the big guy, use inflammatory (e.g. anti-Holocaust) ideas, scream tongue-in-cheek that Iran so deserves the energy resources of peaceful nuclear power (when it sits on 1/8 or so of the world's oil reserves), and trash Israel any time he gets a chance. I would guess that he is the absolute envy of Kim and Chavez and others who are pretty good at this trash-talking... Because it gets the attention of the rest of the world, he readily continues to spout the nonsense.

By the way, does anyone see any interesting parallels between Ahmadinejad and some of the 1920's and 1930's German National Socialist Party rhetoric? I sure do...
SezWho2 at 11:37 AM JST - 10th July

SuperLib,

There's less wrong in constantly criticizing the US than there is constantly supporting it while rejecting rejecting criticism. The constant rejection of criticism and the inattention to the causes of the criticism are what causes the criticism to persist, not some inherent interest in finding fault with US action.

To support the notion that the US is the greatest threat to global security, you don't have to stand with Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad was not the first to express the opinion and will not be the last.
SezWho2 at 11:49 AM JST - 10th July

Helter Skelter,

The left, in so far as there is one, does not hate America. In my opinion, when people tell you what they hate, you should not undertake to tell them differently. Otherwise, that leads to people telling you that, contrariwise, it is you who hate America and that your unwillingness that an American administration should take correction from any outsider or even from the majority opinions of her own citizens demonstrates a deep-seated revulsion for principles of American democracy.

And, you see, this gets us nowhere.

There is a distinction to be drawn between America, the current government of America, American people, American principles and so on. Under the current government, so-called anti-American feelings are on the rise across the world. This is not because people hate the country that contributed mightily in defeating the real Axis in WW2 or stood up to the Soviet Union after that. It is because they dislike the growth of American military might, its increasing belligerence both in tone and action and its insistence on using those tools to put its interests ahead of all others. And they particularly hate the administration that so plainly supports these things.
tkoind2 at 02:15 PM JST - 10th July

Skipthesong:

The left, whatever that means, are not supporting Iran. Rather we are supporting the idea of rational international policy that does not involve engaging ourselves in more wars we cannot win.

Iran is largely posturing here. With US invasions in two of their bordering nations, they are likely a bit on edge. And who can blame them?

May I ask, do you actually know anyone from Iran? Or in Iran? I do and I can tell you that Iranians are some of the most intelligent, kind and gentle people I have met. If you look beyond the politics you will find a culture rich in history, art, music, poetry and more.

I study Persian music and I have encountered a rich tapestry of culture that would defy your stereotypical Bush crowd image of Iran.

Is it a nation with issues. Absolutely! Are there dangers here? Certainly! But is a war required to resolve them? Absolutely not!! We can fix this problem with intelligent management of the diplomatic front. And that benefits everyone.

Maybe we need to spend more time getting to know the people of other nations and looking past the ruling parties. George Bush does not represent me or my community in the US. We share few views in common and even less ideas about how to solve world problems. I wouldn't want anyone to judge all Americans and our nation by that awful cowboy wannabe. And I am sure the average Iranian feels the same about the government there.

In the end it would be we ordinary people dying in a war and not the chimps trying to lead us. So I say make peace work!
SuperLib at 08:13 PM JST - 10th July

There's less wrong in constantly criticizing the US than there is constantly supporting it while rejecting rejecting criticism.

If you say so.
SuperLib at 08:34 PM JST - 10th July

Is it a nation with issues. Absolutely! Are there dangers here? Certainly!

What are Iran's issues? And what are the dangers?

But is a war required to resolve them? Absolutely not!! We can fix this problem with intelligent management of the diplomatic front. And that benefits everyone.

Bush is using diplomacy with Iran. There has been no invasion. May I ask what the situation is in your mind?
Betzee at 10:55 PM JST - 10th July

Bush is using diplomacy with Iran.

No, other countries which have diplomatic relations with Iran are the ones doing the talking:

The Europeans have -- together with Moscow and Beijing and on behalf of Washington -- repeatedly presented Iran with a list of benefits it would receive if it agreed to suspend enrichment, and they have spent countless hours discussing these ideas with the Iranians.

The right approach now is to end the anomaly of the United States not sitting at the table and to abandon the fiction that this dialogue is not a negotiation. Does anyone think that the six-party talks involving North Korea could have made any progress if the United States had refused to participate or if we insisted that North Korea completely dismantle its Yongbyon nuclear facility before we admitted that we were negotiating?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/27/AR2008062703099.html
Blue_Tiger at 07:54 PM JST - 11th July

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has threatened to wipe Israel off of the face of the earth when she gets Nuclear Weaponry, and he has the gall to turn around and declare the USA to be the world's greatest threat?!? Iran, the world's biggest supporter of worlwide terrorism, and her president can legitimately say that the United States of America is the world's biggest threat to global security?!?

If this weren't serious and coming from a man who has totally denied the holocaust ever happening, it might be a great Saturday Night Live or Jay Leno Spoof.....
RedMeatKoolAid at 09:01 PM JST - 11th July

With liberated Iraq's economy booming like it is A'jad has his feet to the fire. The mullahs have had thirty years in power and Iran has so little to show for all the wealth they sit upon.
teaabe at 06:05 AM JST - 13th July

attacking other people's lands has been a bad habit of the u.s. since it's foundation. just look at samoa and guam, iraq obviously. nonetheless, iran should be dealt with asap. full speed ahead.
buggerlugs at 11:25 PM JST - 13th July

I wish someone, like China, would put an embargo on the US like they did with Cuba... Maybe that would stop the lunatics attacking innocent people for a pack of lies. Yes, I am embarrassed to be called American, and wish I could hold my head high and say they help the world, not just kill and steal. To all the US people out theree, before defending Bush, think about why people say these things.
WilliB at 10:41 AM JST - 14th July

What Ahmedinejad says is entirely in line with islamic ideology. True "peace" (dar-al-salaam) will be reached the day when the non-muslim world (dar-al-harb, the house of war) is destroyed and the whole world is under islamic rule (dar-al-islaam, the house of islam). And as the strongest nation in the infidel world, the US is the greatest threat to this islamic "peace", where the Shariah rules everything, homosexuals are exterminated, women put under wraps, and we all pray to mekka 5 times a day. He is really only stating the obvious.
usaexpat at 12:23 AM JST - 16th July

Some have mentioned a return to the Monroe doctrine and personally I'm all for it. Our little wars and covert operations around the world have not really made us safer. That said I hate the whole of the ME with a purple passion. I would like the US to put everything it has into alternative fuels so that we can get off of oil. The Middle East without the world's thirst for oil is simply a 3rd world desert. We pull back to our borders, get off oil and let people like Amadinejad drink their oil. As for countries like Japan, Korea, and Germany let them hold referendums, if the populace wants our bases out we will go. America is under appreciated and scapegoated too damn often. Unlike many smaller countries in the world we could with some effort just refuse to play the global game and still survive. If that's what everyone wants of us let them have it. Don't forget though that means no more aid and no more peacekeepers and the UN is going to have to find new offices.
usaexpat at 12:30 AM JST - 16th July

buggerlugs don't take it that far. I am proud to be an American even though the current regime has erased much of our credibility in the world. If you are embarassed to be an American you need to renounce your citizenship. As far as understanding why people say the things they do and why anti-American sentiment is on the rise I completely understand. That doesn't mean that I have to accept it from a cockroach like Amadinejad.