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President Obama: Ahmadinejad's Rant Hurt Iran with the World But Won't Hurt U.S. Diplomatic Efforts
April 21, 2009 1:57 PM
President Obama today suggested that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad harmed himself and the Iranian people when he harshly criticized Israel at this week's United Nations conference on racism in Geneva -- though he suggested the rant would not impact his administration's diplomatic efforts with that country, which the president referred to as "the Islamic Republic."
Ahmadinejad called Israel "the most cruel and repressive racist regime" and said "it is all the more regrettable that a number of Western governments and the United States have committed themselves to defending those racist perpetrators of genocide while the awakened-conscience and free-minded people of the world condemn aggression, brutalities and the bombardment of civilians in Gaza."
The speech prompted dozens of European diplomats in attendance to walk out.
When asked to comment today, President Obama Tuesday said, "Sadly, the rhetoric is not new. This is the kind of rhetoric that we've come to expect from President Ahmadinejad. When I said, during the course of the campaign and repeated after the election, that we were serious about engagement with Iran, it was with no illusions. I was very clear that I found many of the statements that President Ahmadinejad made, particularly those direct with -- directed at Israel, to be appalling and objectionable."
That said, President Obama noted that "Iran is a very complicated country with a lot of different power centers. The Supreme Leader Khamenei is the person who exercises the most direct control over the policies of the Islamic Republic, and we will continue to pursue the possibility of improved relations and a resolution to some of the critical issues in which there have been differences, particularly around the nuclear issue."
Mr. Obama said the "rhetoric you saw from Ahmadinejad is not helpful; in fact, it is harmful -- but not just with respect to the possibility of U.S.-Iranian relations, but I think it actually undermines Iranians' position in the world as a whole. We weren't at the conference, and what you saw was a whole host of other countries walking out and that language being condoned by people who may be more sympathetic to the long-term aspirations of the Iranian people. So I think it actually hurts Iran's position in the world."
The president made his remarks in the Oval Office during a joint press availability with His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein of Jordan, who refrained from offering an opinion on the matter.
-- jpt
April 21, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (33)
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Obama's efforts to have a better relationship with Iran has not been succesfull yet because of an stupidity he committed in following what stupid George Bush did which was signing sanctions against Iran.You can't do a bad thing to someone and then tell him let's be friend.Obama has the responsibility to right what other presidents did wrong.US has done a lot of bad things to Iranian people. It will be really hard for them to forget unless Obama does something honest. go back to the reasons they have and please them for each one of those.
Posted by: Joseph | Apr 26, 2009 2:04:27 PM
Iran and Iranian people are no different from US and American people in the fact that they don't like any other country (including US) to tell them what they can have and what they can't. I am sure US wouldn't like it if Russia or China tell US to not have nuclear power plants.
Posted by: Joseph | Apr 26, 2009 1:50:18 PM
Dan: Iran is a country of 75 million people who cannot voluntarily leave. We know how many thousands of people Saddam secretly killed and buried in mass-graves. What makes you think Iran is any different. Who knows how many innocent civillians they have killed. Its just like WMD we have no idea if or if not. Only they know.
Posted by: omgnoway | Apr 22, 2009 12:24:40 PM
It is a shame that such a great nation as Iran must suffer under such an inept set of leaders. Let's hope Iranians can free themselves of the villanous mullahs and elect a modern and tolerant government like Turkey.
Posted by: Rocky | Apr 22, 2009 11:35:14 AM
Ahmadinejad told the truth. Whether you like him or not, the attack on Gaza was inexcusable and awful. Those of us who cannot be honest with the fact that innocent people were killed by Israel in
Gaza are not being truthful. So what is world leaders left the meeting. Someone had to tell the world loud and clear that what transpired in GAZA was a shameless exercise of power over the helpless who restriced to a tiny swath of land that is guarded and sequestured
by Israel. Israel has the authority to block off food an aid to Gaza. Israel controls Gaza's air space.
Racism is racism whether you are Jewish
live in Gaza are black ir whie.
Posted by: clarity | Apr 22, 2009 2:38:41 AM
Mr President how did Ahmadinejad's
rant hurt him and Iran?
Are you going to scold him and send
him to bed without his supper?
The rant and the continuation of
Irans nuclear program are proof
positive that you can't negotiate
with a country or leader who is
unwilling to give up
something(their nuclear program) for
economic assistance from the U.S. and
our European allies!
So far Obama's Blah, Blah, Blah
foreign policy is a bust!
Posted by: reaganfan | Apr 21, 2009 11:33:48 PM
I think what the president of Iran said was absolutely true. 6000 NGO's said it also. And at the conference, was just the exact right place to say it. It should also be said at the UN General Assembly. Nations that abstain from this conference should be labelled 'Racist' The whole world knows now. And the world got a great pre-view just on Christmas of last year.
22 days of visible proof.
More proof ?
Google Earth, 'GAZA', and have a brouse about the area. You will not beleive your lying eyes.
All in all it's justa nother brick in th.....
Posted by: mick | Apr 21, 2009 11:09:41 PM
A lot of conservatives are in trouble... they don't know how else to criticize Obama. They want him to be belligerent, rude and make knee-jerk decisions. I'd bet they'd be the first ones to turn around and accuse him of being like Bush. His consistency is killing their rhetoric. I wonder how long they can keep this up before they go insane.
Listen up conservatives... Obama will never play your game. You will continue to be surprised by his behavior. I guess "change has [really] come to America" for the better.
Posted by: John | Apr 21, 2009 8:11:35 PM
zywotkowitz - Israel wants peace? As they continue to erect more checkpoints, expand settlements, increase the number of settlers, and divert the water from the Jordan away from the Palestinians to their settlements? Who are you kidding really? Maybe the rockets are justified.
Posted by: Dan | Apr 21, 2009 5:32:31 PM
Who has killed more civilians in the last say 100 years, 50 years, 20 years? USA? Israel? Iran? I don't believe it is Iran for either of the three time frames.
Posted by: Dan | Apr 21, 2009 5:05:58 PM
president Ahmedinejadi has expressed what most of the people in the mid-eastren hemisphere feel. The oppression of the Plastenian people and the crimes committed by the Israeli gov't toward these unfortunate people is something that any human with an once of moral in his mind should say it loadly.Give the Palestinian people back their rights and land and united states will not have any more nightmares.
Posted by: ahmed | Apr 21, 2009 4:38:27 PM
Obama wants a "2-state solution". The Israeli gov't wants "peace" within the context of a 2-state solution.
That's an important difference.
Israel is not willing to withdraw from the West Bank only to have it used as a launching pad for rocket attacks and the next round of Palestinian demands.
Posted by: zywotkowitz | Apr 21, 2009 4:19:11 PM
"Ahmedinejad could nuke Israel and that wouldn't deter Obama either."
ROFLMAO!
I think a political scientist should study the corollary of right wing rhetoric heating up and with their growing unpopularity.
Posted by: Ryan C | Apr 21, 2009 3:45:03 PM
Ahmedinejad could nuke Israel and that wouldn't deter Obama either.
Or bother him.
Posted by: drjohn | Apr 21, 2009 3:34:51 PM
And unfortunately probably particularly short sighted on Obama's part.
Posted by: madawaskan | Apr 21, 2009 3:34:16 PM
Sunil | Apr 21, 2009 3:24:59 PM, you said it all! Unfortunately these are fellow humans, and we have to adjust in order to coexist. I'm still trying to understand whether these people are evil or plain stupid.
Posted by: D. | Apr 21, 2009 3:33:26 PM
Israel really has nothing left to lose-by being decoupled so to speak from the USA that now donates eight million to Hamas-there is little left for them to be interested in with regards to what Obama can do for them.
By that same token Obama will have just that much less influence over Israel.
This could free Israel up to finally hit the Iranian and other entities ultimately interested in Israel's demise so hard that they don't come back.
The trouble has been before now that Israel has always been forced to heel or has been reined in because of the fact that it had a client state relationship with the United States.
In opposite the USSR in the past had control of the puppet regimes in the area and could influence Syria and the like to accept certain terms.
So those Super Power relationships acted as a sort of catastrophic cap on tensions in the area, but in the same vein it never allowed the brewing tensions and animosities to be fully resolved.
Obama has boxed the world perhaps into a corner-now.
Interesting times.
Posted by: madawaskan | Apr 21, 2009 3:32:57 PM
Iranian election is in June. Hopefully, Iranians will wise up. Amadinejhad has tanked their economy and trashed their standing in the world. It will be a good day for Iran and the world when this fruitcake gets the boot.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | Apr 21, 2009 3:15:56 PM
What do you want? Do you want the President to throw an angry fit, perhaps send the air force, or armed troops into Iran to express his outrage? I think you need to think more deeply about what you say. I'm still trying to figure out why most of you put a negative spin on anything the President does.
Ahmadinejad seems to be able to push your buttons. I'm glad you don't have to decide how to deal with him.
Posted by: George | Apr 21, 2009 3:12:00 PM
This problem of Palestinian subjugation to Israel occupation is the seed for an unstable polarized world including the Middle East. The occupation conditions has created moral and leadership risks for the Unuted States.
In Hague meeting, Iranian officials offered to cooperate with the USA. We hope this cooperation between USA and Iran would continue to the other tension areas of the Middle East. Iran in the past had stated that the affairs of the Palestinians relation with Israel are basically a Palestinians. Many expect that Iran would not reject a reasonable break through between Washington and Israel over the Palestinians home state. However; many suggest that any resolution about Palestinian state would be a non-starter with Israel. Israel has used Iran as diversion away from creation of an independent Palestinian state.
Posted by: Saint Michael Traveler | Apr 21, 2009 3:10:05 PM
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