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| Palin on Ahmadinejad: 'He Must Be Stopped' |
| 2008-09-22 |
| Governor Palin, the Republican nominee for vice president, was scheduled to speak today at a rally in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza to protest the appearance here of President Ahmadinejad of Iran. Her appearance was canceled by rally organizers who sought a nonpolitical event. Demo's threaten to take away exempted status is they allowed her to speak Following are the remarks Mrs. Palin would have given: I am honored to be with you and with leaders from across this great country — leaders from different faiths and political parties united in a single voice of outrage. Tomorrow, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will come to New York — to the heart of what he calls the Great Satan — and speak freely in this, a country whose demise he has called for. Ahmadinejad may choose his words carefully, but underneath all of the rhetoric is an agenda that threatens all who seek a safer and freer world. We gather here today to highlight the Iranian dictator's intentions and to call for action to thwart him. He must be stopped. The world must awake to the threat this man poses to all of us. Ahmadinejad denies that the Holocaust ever took place. He dreams of being an agent in a "Final Solution" — the elimination of the Jewish people. He has called Israel a "stinking corpse" that is "on its way to annihilation." Such talk cannot be dismissed as the ravings of a madman — not when Iran just this summer tested long-range Shahab-3 missiles capable of striking Tel Aviv, not when the Iranian nuclear program is nearing completion, and not when Iran sponsors terrorists that threaten and kill innocent people around the world. The Iranian government wants nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran is running at least 3,800 centrifuges and that its uranium enrichment capacity is rapidly improving. According to news reports, U.S. intelligence agencies believe the Iranians may have enough nuclear material to produce a bomb within a year. The world has condemned these activities. The United Nations Security Council has demanded that Iran suspend its illegal nuclear enrichment activities. It has levied three rounds of sanctions. How has Ahmadinejad responded? With the declaration that the "Iranian nation would not retreat one iota" from its nuclear program. So, what should we do about this growing threat? First, we must succeed in Iraq. If we fail there, it will jeopardize the democracy the Iraqis have worked so hard to build, and empower the extremists in neighboring Iran. Iran has armed and trained terrorists who have killed our soldiers in Iraq, and it is Iran that would benefit from an American defeat in Iraq. If we retreat without leaving a stable Iraq, Iran's nuclear ambitions will be bolstered. If Iran acquires nuclear weapons — they could share them tomorrow with the terrorists they finance, arm, and train today. Iranian nuclear weapons would set off a dangerous regional nuclear arms race that would make all of us less safe. But Iran is not only a regional threat; it threatens the entire world. It is the no. 1 state sponsor of terrorism. It sponsors the world's most vicious terrorist groups, Hamas and Hezbollah. Together, Iran and its terrorists are responsible for the deaths of Americans in Lebanon in the 1980s, in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s, and in Iraq today. They have murdered Iraqis, Lebanese, Palestinians, and other Muslims who have resisted Iran's desire to dominate the region. They have persecuted countless people simply because they are Jewish. Iran is responsible for attacks not only on Israelis, but on Jews living as far away as Argentina. Anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial are part of Iran's official ideology and murder is part of its official policy. Not even Iranian citizens are safe from their government's threat to those who want to live, work, and worship in peace. Politically-motivated abductions, torture, death by stoning, flogging, and amputations are just some of its state-sanctioned punishments. It is said that the measure of a country is the treatment of its most vulnerable citizens. By that standard, the Iranian government is both oppressive and barbaric. Under Ahmadinejad's rule, Iranian women are some of the most vulnerable citizens. If an Iranian woman shows too much hair in public, she risks being beaten or killed. If she walks down a public street in clothing that violates the state dress code, she could be arrested. But in the face of this harsh regime, the Iranian women have shown courage. Despite threats to their lives and their families, Iranian women have sought better treatment through the "One Million Signatures Campaign Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws." The authorities have reacted with predictable barbarism. Last year, women's rights activist Delaram Ali was sentenced to 20 lashes and 10 months in prison for committing the crime of "propaganda against the system." After international protests, the judiciary reduced her sentence to "only" 10 lashes and 36 months in prison and then temporarily suspended her sentence. She still faces the threat of imprisonment. Earlier this year, Senator Clinton said that "Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is in the forefront of that" effort. Senator Clinton argued that part of our response must include stronger sanctions, including the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. John McCain and I could not agree more. Senator Clinton understands the nature of this threat and what we must do to confront it. This is an issue that should unite all Americans. Iran should not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. Period. And in a single voice, we must be loud enough for the whole world to hear: Stop Iran! Only by working together, across national, religious, and political differences, can we alter this regime's dangerous behavior. Iran has many vulnerabilities, including a regime weakened by sanctions and a population eager to embrace opportunities with the West. We must increase economic pressure to change Iran's behavior. Tomorrow, Ahmadinejad will come to New York. On our soil, he will exercise the right of freedom of speech — a right he denies his own people. He will share his hateful agenda with the world. Our task is to focus the world on what can be done to stop him. We must rally the world to press for truly tough sanctions at the U.N. or with our allies if Iran's allies continue to block action in the U.N. We must start with restrictions on Iran's refined petroleum imports. We must reduce our dependency on foreign oil to weaken Iran's economic influence. We must target the regime's assets abroad; bank accounts, investments, and trading partners. President Ahmadinejad should be held accountable for inciting genocide, a crime under international law. We must sanction Iran's Central Bank and the Revolutionary Guard Corps — which no one should doubt is a terrorist organization. Together, we can stop Iran's nuclear program. Senator McCain has made a solemn commitment that I strongly endorse: Never again will we risk another Holocaust. And this is not a wish, a request, or a plea to Israel's enemies. This is a promise that the United States and Israel will honor, against any enemy who cares to test us. It is John McCain's promise and it is my promise. Thank you. |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #15 Senator Clinton said... Senator Clinton argued... Senator Clinton understands... Keeping in mind that Sen. Clinton was supposed to be sharing the stage with Gov. Palin. This demonstrates a level of bipartisan respect and personal class that Palin carries that drives her enemies completely mad. |
| Posted by: Skunky Glins 5*** 2008-09-22 21:00 |
| #14 Thanks for the update Barbara. The October 5th date (heard this before from a couple other folks) puts it on the weekend after the debate (Thursday the 2nd). Let's see, he falls ill on Thursday night or Friday (blood pressure?, stress?), hospital on Saturday and pulls out of the race by Sunday, just in time for everyone to feel sorry for him and welcome the 'exciting new choice' on the talk shows. The Dems would get a 4-week period for 'explanations', etc. plus an 'excitement bounce' out of this, putting them in fair shape for the Tuesday of the 5th week (Nov. 4). Don't laugh, these folks are 'masters of timing'. For real drama, he could have a 'seizure' Thursday night during the debate. |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2008-09-22 20:22 |
| #13 Palin on Ahmadinejad: 'He Must Be Stopped' ed: Ahmadinejad is just the dummy. The ventriloquists are the ones with the long beards and soulless eyes. It will require much more than a JDAM or a well aimed shot. I'd like to dump the A$$atollahs and Mahmoud AhmadiNutJob into the Alaskan Wilderness for a month along with Ted Neugent and Sarah Palin. Of course Ted and Sarah would have to be willing.. ..each team gets one Rifle & ammo and an 8 inch knife. Losers get eaten by Brown Bears. :> |
| Posted by: Red Dawg 2008-09-22 18:44 |
| #12 "Dumping Biden is still on the table, as I understand from a couple of Dem Beltway folks I know." Speaking of dumping, Richard, I just received the following e-mail forwarded from a friend: "Biden Is Out The following is from a source that has been correct on wild rumors like this on 4 out of 7 occasions. On or about October 5th, Biden will excuse himself from the ticket, citing ?health problems?, and he will be replaced by Hillary. This is timed to occur after the VP debate on 10/2. There have been talks all weekend about how to proceed with this information. Generally, the feeling is that we should all go ahead and get it out there to as many blog sites and personal email lists as is possible. I have already seen a few short blurbs about this. The ?health problem? cited in those articles was an aneurysm. Probably many of you have heard the same rumblings. However, at this point, with this information from the DNC, it looks like this Obama strategy will be a go. Therefore, it seems that the best strategy is to get out in front of this Obama maneuver, spell it out in detail, and thereby expose it for the grand manipulation that it is. So, let's start mixing this one up and cut the Obamites off at the pass. Send this information out to as many people as you can and post it on every website and blog that you can access. Editor's Note: I've heard this from several sources. Biden is a loose cannon and an amazingly poor choice for VP. Hussein's hatred for Hillary will be trumped by his sponsor's (Soros and gang) rabid desire to hijack America." Dunno his "source" (and he probably sent it as a joke), but I responded that Hill wouldn't take it because it screws her last chance to run in 2012. And anyway, I thought Biden's "health problem" was going to be infected hair plugs. ;-p |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2008-09-22 18:33 |
| #11 Hillary couldn't allow Sarah Palin to share a stage with her. It would show the Nation how much more energy and Can Do attitude Sarah Palin has then Hillary. It would also undermine Hillary's message that people need the Government to take care of them and provide for them. They can't do it alone, don't you understand. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2008-09-22 17:51 |
| #10 Makes it 'difficult' to dump Biden and replace with Ms. Clinton, too. Dumping Biden is still on the table, as I understand from a couple of Dem Beltway folks I know. |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2008-09-22 16:33 |
| #9 The speach is being published in newspapers around the world. It just may have a greater impact than if she gave it at the rally. Anyway, the whole incident pretty much wipes out any good feelings about Hillery that I had developed based on the treatment she had been receiving from the Democratic party. She and It deserve each other. |
| Posted by: Kelly 2008-09-22 15:45 |
| #8 Well politically you can understand the Dem's dilemma. You just can't have Hillary on the same platform as Palin or it makes it look like she's supporting her. So unfortunately the best interests of the country must take second place to partisan concerns. |
| Posted by: Bob Sloluque7930 2008-09-22 15:38 |
| #7 Sarah Palin sounds like she has plenty of savvy concerning international politics--far more enlightened than BO or Biden. It is a shame that an idiot like Ahmahdinejad speaks in the U.S. at the UN and Palin was disinvited. Hillary could not rise above partisan politics. It is a shame Ahmadinejab spoke at Columbia but they didn't allow ROTC on campus. We should have arrested the little criminal and terrorist for seizing our embassy in 1979 as soon as he got off the plane. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2008-09-22 15:00 |
| #6 TW, i think those words were of a statesman, er, statesperson if you will and from one that is not worried about partisanship. statemanship is something that has been missing in our politics for far too long. |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2008-09-22 13:52 |
| #5 TW -- I saw that also -- questions came to my mind. Wonder if she is already setting the stage for 2012 campaign? Alto -- it could have been a slap across to face to Hillary, since she had consented to be there, then pulled out when she found out Sarah was also speaking! Can you hear Hillary saying, "How dare her to use my name in her speech!" |
| Posted by: Sherry 2008-09-22 13:49 |
| #4 Senator Clinton said... Senator Clinton argued... Senator Clinton understands... Pwned? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-09-22 13:40 |
| #3 CF, everyone knows that NOW is only concerned with the rights of a very few, select women. If you have other issues than "when will I be allowed to sit on a corporate board?" and "I need subsidized child care so I can concentrate on my important career....and I better not have to pay more than $5 a day for someone to watch my kids" (or, if you don't want to have kids, "I better be able to abort a child up to my delivery date,") they really can't be bothered. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2008-09-22 13:32 |
| #2 Great Speech - wish she whould have been able to make it but, as the comments stated, the Democrats threatened to take away the group's exempted status. I guess that is how the DNC shows support for its allies (Iran). The only point I have is calling Ahmadinejad a 'dictator'. He is only a puppet controlled by the Supreme Counsel - they are the real dictators who pull the strings. Unlike Saddam - if we were to remove Ahmadinejad today - he would only be replaced with a different puppet. Contrast Palin's support of Iranian women with NOW's complete and total silence. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2008-09-22 13:02 |
| #1 Ahmadinejad is just the dummy. The ventriloquists are the ones with the long beards and soulless eyes. It will require much more than a JDAM or a well aimed shot. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-09-22 11:49 |