<p>Clearly. Bush just doesn’t want a religion he considers misguided to have control of other countries; he has no problem with a religion he subscribes to having control of a country.</p>
<p>“As for Ahmadinjedad, his time in the limelight will soon be up (one of his biggest rivals was just elected to possibly the most powerful position in Iran).”</p>
<p>Yup. It’s how democracy works. Even when a nation is under siege by the most powerful military power on the face of the earth.</p>
<p>And when is the ‘bomb Iran Crowd’ going to realize that Iranians don’t like their own [authoritarian] governments and given a chance they may change it? The current guys and the mullahs are about as popular with the Iranian middle-class as the Shah was. But of course our current administration is “uncurious” about that.</p>
<p>^ What this administration doesn’t get is that US “support” is a death knell for any moderate or secular group in the region.</p>
<p>And the irony is that pretty much everything this administration has done has actually INCREASED support for extremist and anti-US groups (with Bin Laden and Al Qaeda being the biggest beneficiary).</p>
<p>The US invasion of Iraq was the best present Bin Laden has ever gotten.</p>
<p>What do y’all think happened in Syria last week?</p>
<p>What is amazing is that Columbia U will permit that ■■■■■■■ to speak to its students. Columbia won’t let the U.S. Military on campus, but they will let an enemy of America speak anywhere, anytime. It just goes to show American Universities are all about free speech so long as that speech is liberal speech or anti-America speech.</p>
<p>Agreed, razorsharp. One comment I read is that Columbia won’t allow ROTC because of the Clinton “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.</p>
<p>Yet, they think it’s acceptable to allow Ahmadinejad, whose government just EXECUTES gays. </p>
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<p><a href=“UNPO: Iran: Public Executions on the Rise”>UNPO: Iran: Public Executions on the Rise;
<p>Yep, just the kind of guy we want spouting his poison at some of our brightest young people.</p>
<p>^ Actually, there is something to be said about getting to know your enemy.</p>
<p>Besides, I don’t think the US military has any problem getting its message out.</p>
<p>I think it’s a great idea to get to know your enemy. But you don’t have to rub salt in the very open wound of 9/11. From what I’ve read, most New Yorkers are very angry about this.</p>
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<p>Isn’t homosexuality one of the biggest sins? (I’ve always wondered why it wasn’t in the Ten Commandments.)</p>
<p>Interesting enough, in contrast to the treatment of homosexuals, the mullahs in Iran have a fairly progressive attitude towards people with gender identity disorder.</p>
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<p>What connection to 9/11 does Iran have?</p>
<p>9/11 was the worst terrorist attack in US history. Iran is a terrorist state, and is currently arming those who are murdering American soldiers. He was one of the hostage takers in 1979. If you can’t see how his visit is offensive, then there is nothing anyone can say to convince you.</p>
<p>“But you don’t have to rub salt in the very open wound of 9/11.”</p>
<p>An exactly what, pray tell, other than a mass pro-American candlelight demonstration in Tehran on 9/18, did Iran have to do with 911? Now had it been a retired U.S. Air Force person, well, they trained the 911 hijackers, so it would be understandable not to allow him to go near the site. But Iran?</p>
<p>What half a million Americans did Iran kill with poison gas? What half a million children in Canada did the Iranians kill? How many Canadian refugees has the U.S. taken in as a result of Iranian aggresssion?</p>
<p>Which unstable regime with nuclear weapons does Iran support?</p>
<p>I’m not talking about Iran – I’m objecting to Ahmadinejad. We have Iranian friends – that’s not the issue. But THIS man should not be allowed to spout his Holocaust denying lies in NYC. If only Hitler or Pol Pot were around – you’d probably love to hear them speak.</p>
<p>Mini, you just go too far. Your over-the-top anti-Americanism can be amusing at times, especially when you take on the Clinton administration. But your analogy to retired USAF personnel is beyond offensive.</p>
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It’s own regime. </p>
<p>He wanted to lay a wreath at ground zero. How charming; until you try to figure out who he has honoring – the thousands of Americans who died there or the Islamic murders who flew planes and praised their god while they murdered?</p>
<p>sjmom- why is mini anti- American? I have seen others question his opinions based on their analysis of data and events but it is never anti or unAmerican to express an opinion that American political leaders have made decisions or taken actions that are wrong. Democrats, Republicans, liberals and conservatives all have and should be questioned and made to defend their actions. Our foreign policy in the Mideast is a disaster and should be challenged. I am no expert but Iranians have legitimate greivances against America. By the way I love this country but we have shown a complete disregard to many people in the Middle East and South and Central America.</p>
<p>“He wanted to lay a wreath at ground zero. How charming; until you try to figure out who he has honoring – the thousands of Americans who died there or the Islamic murders who flew planes and praised their god while they murdered?”</p>
<p>The people of Iran (unlike the people of Israel, or the people of Saudi Arabia or the people of Kuwait) answered that question on September 18th, 2001.</p>
<p>"Mini, you just go too far. Your over-the-top anti-Americanism can be amusing at times, especially when you take on the Clinton administration. But your analogy to retired USAF personnel is beyond offensive. "</p>
<p>Just being factual. Who trained them to fly the planes?</p>
<p>It’s George Bush who is anti-American, and has done more to aid Al-Qaeda, both in recruiting and in supplying materials (through Saudi Arabia), in the past 5 years than any other person on the face of the earth.</p>
<p>I think that this type of arguing and nitpicking is exactly what Ahmadinejad wants. Like the debate over Moussaoui’s sentence. </p>
<p>I say, let him go. Do not block his passage. Let all those who wish to protest his request stand on the side, watching together as he spits in the face of our fallen. Let our finest escort him through the streets. Let him know that America is a land that stands by its finest principles. Let him know that America is strong even when our enemies press our wounds and laugh. </p>
<p>And let him know that we will not forget this transgression.</p>
<p>Didn’t he say something recently about attacking Israel if they attacked Syria,and now its come out that on Sept. 6 Israel did strike Syria??? I heard a quick blurb about it on the news. Wouldn’t it be a dicey time in particular for him to come here having threatened that?</p>
<p>Lee Bollinger has been dealing with this problem since last year:</p>
<p><a href=“Homepage - Columbia Daily Spectator”>Homepage - Columbia Daily Spectator;
<p>I, for one, think it will be a fantastic opportunity for our country to demonstrate our freedoms - warts and all. Lee Bollinger has a lot riding on this and has demanded to question and/or debate Ahmadinejad.</p>