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| 10 more reasons Mahmoud shouldn't have been invited |
| 2007-09-25 |
| H/T Jules Crittenden.com The fall-out begins and Mahmoud is getting his response. His university folks standing up for him Iranian University Chancellors Ask Bollinger 10 Questions TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Seven chancellors and presidents of Iranian universities and research centers, in a letter addressed to their counterpart in the US Colombia University, denounced Lee Bollinger's insulting words against the Iranian nation and president and invited him to provide responses for 10 questions of the Iranian academicians and intellectuals. The following is the full text of the letter. Mr. Lee Bollinger Columbia University President We, the professors and heads of universities and research institutions in Tehran , hereby announce our displeasure and protest at your impolite remarks prior to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent speech at Columbia University. We would like to inform you that President Ahmadinejad was elected directly by the Iranian people through an enthusiastic two-round poll in which almost all of the country's political parties and groups participated. To assess the quality and nature of these elections you may refer to US news reports on the poll dated June 2005. Your insult, in a scholarly atmosphere, to the president of a country with a population of 72 million and a recorded history of 7,000 years of civilization and culture is deeply shameful. Your comments, filled with hate and disgust, may well have been influenced by extreme pressure from the media, but it is regrettable that media policy-makers can determine the stance a university president adopts in his speech. Your remarks about our country included unsubstantiated accusations that were the product of guesswork as well as media propaganda. Some of your claims result from misunderstandings that can be clarified through dialogue and further research. During his speech, Mr. Ahmadinejad answered a number of your questions and those of students. We are prepared to answer any remaining questions in a scientific, open and direct debate. You asked the president approximately ten questions. Allow us to ask you ten of our own questions in the hope that your response will help clear the atmosphere of misunderstanding and distrust between our two countries and reveal the truth. 1- Why did the US media put you under so much pressure to prevent Mr. Ahmadinejad from delivering his speech at Columbia University? And why have American TV networks been broadcasting hours of news reports insulting our president while refusing to allow him the opportunity to respond? Is this not against the principle of freedom of speech? 2- Why, in 1953, did the US administration overthrow the Iran's national government under Dr Mohammad Mosaddegh and go on to support the Shah's dictatorship? 3- Why did the US support the blood-thirsty dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 Iraqi-imposed war on Iran, considering his reckless use of chemical weapons against Iranian soldiers defending their land and even against his own people? 4- Why is the US putting pressure on the government elected by the majority of Palestinians in Gaza instead of officially recognizing it? And why does it oppose Iran 's proposal to resolve the 60-year-old Palestinian issue through a general referendum? 5- Why has the US military failed to find Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden even with all its advanced equipment? How do you justify the old friendship between the Bush and Bin Laden families and their cooperation on oil deals? How can you justify the Bush administration's efforts to disrupt investigations concerning the September 11 attacks? 6- Why does the US administration support the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) despite the fact that the group has officially and openly accepted the responsibility for numerous deadly bombings and massacres in Iran and Iraq? Why does the US refuse to allow Iran 's current government to act against the MKO's main base in Iraq? 7- Was the US invasion of Iraq based on international consensus and did international institutions support it? What was the real purpose behind the invasion which has claimed hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives? Where are the weapons of mass destruction that the US claimed were being stockpiled in Iraq? 8- Why do America's closest allies in the Middle East come from extremely undemocratic governments with absolutist monarchical regimes? 9- Why did the US oppose the plan for a Middle East free of unconventional weapons in the recent session of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors despite the fact the move won the support of all members other than Israel? 10- Why is the US displeased with Iran's agreement with the IAEA and why does it openly oppose any progress in talks between Iran and the agency to resolve the nuclear issue under international law? Finally, we would like to express our readiness to invite you and other scientific delegations to our country. A trip to Iran would allow you and your colleagues to speak directly with Iranians from all walks of life including intellectuals and university scholars. You could then assess the realities of Iranian society without media censorship before making judgments about the Iranian nation and government. You can be assured that Iranians are very polite and hospitable toward their guests. |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #13 it serves the militayry industrial complex and all the losers who couldnt get any other kind of job other than dynacorp or halliburton, to continue "fighting" a phantom enemy. Bush and Bin laden and All the Saudis...... dont get me started, get off the gov. dole and get a life guys!!! |
| Posted by: reality cheque 2007-09-25 23:30 |
| #12 #6) Why does the US administration support the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) despite the fact that the group has officially and openly accepted the responsibility for numerous deadly bombings and massacres in Iran and Iraq? Why does the US refuse to allow Iran 's current government to act against the MKO's main base in Iraq? OK I'll take the bait, part of it anyway.... HUH? WTF? Did some A$$atolla fail to get the memo! /heh, including me! es posible. #7) - Was the US invasion of Iraq based on international consensus and did international institutions support it? What was the real purpose behind the invasion which has claimed hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives? Where are the weapons of mass destruction that the US claimed were being stockpiled in Iraq? (We did it for all the Kicks, For the Fun of it.) WMD, Iraqi Gen. Georges Sada, Video Proof, Iraqi Gen. Georges Sada the No. 2 ranking officer in Saddam's Air Force Witness To The Removal of WMD in 2003 SaddamSaddam and Terrorism Chief Arms Insdpector David Kay's Written Report Next........... |
| Posted by: Red Dawg 2007-09-25 22:14 |
| #11 Sometimes the snark potential simply overwhelms one's creative instincts. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-09-25 19:59 |
| #10 The Iranians are such captivating hosts, ya know... |
| Posted by: Al Aska Paul, Resident Imam 2007-09-25 19:16 |
| #9 To give us half-wits a chance I don't think Tu should be allowed to comment before like frith. |
| Posted by: HalfEmpty 2007-09-25 17:45 |
| #8 Ok, maybe not a couple of million, but a lot. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2007-09-25 17:40 |
| #7 The Iranians should show a little respect to the country that helped Saddam kill a couple of million Iranians during the 80-88 war. We might just be back there to finish the job in a few months/years. They should think about the future, I don't want us to play the nice guy, I'm happy enough to take credit where credit is due. Kidnap our consular staff, lose a couple of million to our beast in Baghdad. Hell, we can always find another monster. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2007-09-25 17:37 |
| #6 If Bollinger really wants to show that Columbia is not a total freak show, he'll go on the trip to Tehran and insist on his own terp. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-09-25 17:14 |
| #5 kwame dear, you are being logical instead of facile. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-09-25 17:04 |
| #4 Just consider it a 444 day conference... |
| Posted by: Phinater Thraviger 2007-09-25 17:00 |
| #3 #3 and #7 are hard to ask with a straight face aren't they. If he had and used them before (established at 3) and we don't know what he did with the ones we know he had not used yet (established by Hans Brix), we must assume he still has them and will use them again..no? |
| Posted by: kwame 2007-09-25 17:00 |
| #2 Beside, there are more than ten questions there. A new questions begins after the previous question mark, not immediately after a different number. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2007-09-25 16:27 |
| #1 You can be assured that Iranians are very polite and hospitable toward their guests. Oh, yes. We remember that very well... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-09-25 16:22 |