I’ve read the full text of the letter (as posted by the Wall Street Journal) and let me say that it is much, much odder than a mix tape.
Reportedly your government employs extensive security, protection and intelligence systems—and even hunts its opponents abroad. September eleven was not a simple operation. Could it be planned and executed without coordination with intelligence and security services—or their extensive infiltration? Of course this is just an educated guess. Why have the various aspects of the attacks been kept secret? Why are we not told who botched their responsibilities? And, why aren’t those responsible and the guilty parties identified and put on trial?
Stone crazy.
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— Ali · May 9, 07:39 AM ·
— John Field · May 9, 08:59 AM ·
“What has been said, are some of the grievances of the people around the world, in our region and in your country.”
And Ahmadinejad voices them eloquently, intelligently, and correctly, if you overlook a few distortions, such as implicitly questioning the Shoah and recounting a one-sided version of Israeli/Palestinian history. Such common distortions of the Iranian, Mideast and Third World perspective are hardly worse than the distortions endemic to our own political culture.
As for the passage you quote, us more sophisticated Americans may know that US government involvement in 9/11 is unlikely, but Ahmadinejad asks reasonable questions, especially about the failure to hold accountable those who “botched their responsibilities” or to put top al Qaeda conspirators that the US holds in captivity on public trial.
I could’t agree more with the sentiment of Ahmadinejad, president of a country facing an explicit threat of unprovoked US aggression, as he addresses Bush:
“Those in power have a specific time in office and do not rule indefinitely, but their names will be recorded in history and will be constantly judged…
“The people will scrutinize our presidencies.
“Did we manage to bring peace, security and prosperity for the people or insecurity and unemployment?
“Did we intend to establish justice or just supported especial interest groups, and by forcing many people to live in poverty and hardship, made a few people rich and powerful….?
“Did we defend the rights of the underprivileged or ignore them?
“Did we defend the rights of all people around the world or imposed wars on them….?”
— mark gubrud · May 9, 09:32 AM ·
— Jeffrey Lewis · May 9, 09:36 AM ·
Secondly, you have to understand the culture before jumping into conclusions. Iran has a culture of arts and letters – Even Mossadegh wrote to Eisenhower before the 1953 coup. It is not important what the letter says; it is important that it was written, and that it may represent an opening, a willingness to sit down and talk.
— Ali · May 9, 09:39 AM ·
“Such common distortions of the Iranian, Mideast and Third World perspective are hardly worse than the distortions endemic to our own political culture.”
Much of Ahmadinejad’s letter is deeply impressive and moving. Thank you for calling our attention to it.
— mark gubrud · May 9, 09:52 AM ·
The letter looks naive rather than mad.
— Another Ali · May 9, 07:02 PM ·
Ahmadinejad asks pertinent questions regarding 9/11, which should not be dismissed out of hand. Any sophisticated American who partakes a study of all the available evidence would surely ask the same questions re US government complicity in 9/11.
Best Regards for an excellent Blog.
— Max · May 10, 02:32 AM ·
I think almost everyone who visits this site would agree that the Iranian-US situation has gotten way out of hand at least partially because of explosive, absurd rhetoric from both sides. At that point, the question of whether there really are “a lot of unanswered questions” about 9-11 becomes irrelevant, becaues this was not the time or place for Ahmadinejad to address these issues. This was the time and place for Iran to try to lower the heat, and his statement did the exact opposite. Therefore, its a failure in my book. He should’ve sent the mix tape.
— Max Postman · May 10, 04:51 AM ·
— Ali · May 16, 03:31 PM ·
Good to see you in debating about the letter. As the letter was for the same cause, to have dialouge, and to have a room for enemy even.
About the letter i am sure that this is for all over the World and especially for the US citizen’s. The points he raised is debatable. At least his words are truly convey to the US citizen’s unlikey the CNN news & reviews.
The war at IRAQ, the uneven, double standards in the World, where at one side of the World in US .. the high tech, luxrious life, and at the other side, people are hngry to get just 1 bread a day in Africa. Where the top 20 Millionares have the 86% of the World resources.
With this so much uneven, the World is facing we have to raise our voice, and i think what Ahemdinijad does.
— Wajahat Abbas · May 16, 10:13 PM ·