About Ahmedinajad's appearances: [View All]

[Skidmore]

and I will probably be flamed for this:

1. The Iranian culture is an old one with a formal etiquette system and you don't insult a guest (invited or otherwise) ever, even if it is an enemy.

2. That he engaged at all is an opportunity for response and should not be discounted--this is a culture also concerned with preserving "face."

3. Whether your Western sensibilities and cultural baggage squares with those another culture should not serve as an impediment to discourse for discourse is an avenue toward seeking common ground.

4. Iran has a rich history that contributed much to the worlds of philosophy, science, and the arts, and perhaps it would serve to learn a bit about that history before mocking.

5. I think there are better ways of receiving someone for dialogue rather than to set them up to be publicly rebuked and scolded if you are serious about looking for peaceful and constructive ways to resolve global problems.