Iran's Ahmadinejad casts doubt on Holocaust

[sabra]

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-12-08T152951Z_01_SPI849554_RTRUKOC_0_UK-MIDEAST-IRAN-AHMADINEJAD.xml&archived=False

Iran's Ahmadinejad casts doubt on Holocaust


TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday expressed doubt that the Holocaust occurred and suggested Israel be moved to Europe.

His comments, reported by Iran's official IRNA news agency from a news conference he gave in the Saudia Arabian city of Mecca, follow his call in October for Israel to be "wiped off the map", which sparked widespread international condemnation.

"Some European countries insist on saying that Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces and they insist on it to the extent that if anyone proves something contrary to that they condemn that person and throw them in jail," IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.

"Although we don't accept this claim, if we suppose it is true, our question for the Europeans is: is the killing of innocent Jewish people by Hitler the reason for their support to the occupiers of Jerusalem?" he said.

:crazy:

[Lyle]

1. Does he actually believe the sh!t she spouts?

Doesn't he diminish his already anemic credibility by speaking this way?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. So does he think all those Jewish folks

are hiding or something? Because they sure disappeared.

[sabra]

3. there you go again, being all logical...

the man is a total nut job.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

9. LOL

[David__77]

4. Oh my...

I had hoped that the Iranian president would have a different attitude. I understand opposition to Zionism, but this is fanning the flames of racism, which will do nothing to help the Arab people and will only inflame anti-Arab racism in Israel and the occupied territories. It is quite clear that there was a genocide waged against Jews in Europe. No, this does not mean that Arab people should lose their homeland. But seeking to diminish the real genocide that occurred is a disgraceful act.

[AlamoDemoc]

6. one minor correction here

Iran is not an Arab State...Iran is indeed a Muslim nation but not an Arab...Iran is Persian

[David__77]

8. Oh, I know...

My point was that Iran's reasoning in opposing the state of Israel is that it commits acts against the rights of Arab people--the Iranian president would say he has solidarity with the Arab people, but his comments are harmful to them.

[AlamoDemoc]

14. I agree with your sentiment

however...can a German, or an Irish individual defending the rights of Christians around the globe(Hitler comes to mind) be seen as Christian also?

Just a thought!

[DELUSIONAL]

5. This guy is a dumb ass -- just like bushie --

bushita denies there is global warming.

Also millions of women were murdered during the dark ages for allegedly being witches and many christians still deny this fact.

Fundamentalists are the same -- the brand of religion doesn't seem to matter -- same nuts are drawn to these wacky sects.

[applegrove]

7. He is constantly "Jew baiting". Why? Why - to garner support. But

what else?

[Malikshah]

11. Goading?? IN any case, he's a tool of the first order...his statements

speak to a rabid radical not-of-this reality nutjob.

He's easy to dismiss based on these statements-- is that his goal?

[applegrove]

20. You have to think he wants the war in Iraq to continue. That the last

thing Iran would want would be for Sunnis & Shiites to sit down together at the table. You have to think that. Why else would he be goading the USA & Israel?

The longer the war goes on - after the Saddam trial - the further those two groups will be from each other.

[truthInCO]

15. Jew hating is power

in the totalitarian state. He thinks that by vehemently embracing the conspiracy theories, blood libel and rampant jew hatred fomented for decades, that he will gain more supporters. In his own mind he is a "purist" and believes he can unite others of similar mind behind him. He's a tyrant, and a sociopath, but he's not without calculation.

[AlamoDemoc]

16. You wrote

"He's a tyrant, and a sociopath, but he's not without calculation"

Are you referring to Mr. GWB?

[truthInCO]

17. mmm no

Are you saying GWB can calculate? wtf

[AlamoDemoc]

18. NO...scratch the calculation part...I stand corrected..n/t

[applegrove]

21. But the big lie is that Israel doesn't exist. Israel is all over the Koran

, where it sits today.

Yes it will inflame his people. And perhaps he wants that so that the seculars do not grow in size.

Horrid.

[AngryAmish]

30. Long term politics of the region

Persians (Iranians), Iraqis (mostly ethnic Arab but bunch of other nationalities and tribes) and Saudi Arabia (ethnic Arab but many tribes) all compete to be the local hegemon in the area. The Iran-Iraq war was because Saddam wanted to be local hegemon and thought Iran was easy pickings because of the loss of American support and a purge of the Iranian officer corps (and the US was very happy to encourage him). We thought since we played ball with the Saudis we could benefit from having them as the hegemon.

ANYWAY - there will always be a regional rivalry as there has been for hundreds or thousands of years. Just like Europe. They all hate Israel. All the leaders try to out-condemn jews because that builds them up.

Iran will pursue an atomic bomb. The idea of being a nuclear power is wildly popular in Iran because the Iranian people (as ethnic Persians who they believe should be the natural hegemon of the region) want it. If it is used against Tel Aviv then it scares the bejebus out of everyone in the region as well as makes them happy. Iran resumes its "natural" (from their point of view) position as the regional hegemon.

However if Tel Aviv gets nuked, the all major cities of Iran also get nuked. This is bad.


Ug, can't we all just get along?

[ECH1969]

31. He is playing to his base

[bicentennial_baby]

10. ugh.

i kinda miss the last guy, sigh. x(

[VegasWolf]

12. Conservative Mel Gibson's daddy will agree with him! nt

[MrPrax]

13. Too Bad...

Too bad a reasonable observation ("why are Arabs or the Middle East involved in compensating crimes done by European?") mixed with bigoted hatred.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Holocaust Denial

is as old as 1946, and has been part and parceil lf the Arab Israeli crisis.

hell, I am sure he is also an avid reader of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

22. Ahmadinejad is a nut just like any Israeli leaders who are aggressive

Israel's aggressive stance and possession of nuclear weapons could well be the actual heart of the Middle East conflict.
Verbal mudslinging by both Israel and Iran is not surprising to anyone is it?
Chimp and Chavez go at it all the time--
Venezuela has some sweet crude we'd like to get our filthy little corporate hands on!
Castro just called Jeb Boosh the"Fat little brother" who needs to do some exercise.

So maybe we should invade IRAN now?
Some sweet crude flowing there too!!
Chimp's corporate buddies can just taste it now!

Who cares if some low class lowridin' latinos, some redneck white trash, and some ghetto negroes get killed?
No upper middle class kids will ever die--

Go for it Chimp!

And just see how much longer we'll take it!

[geek tragedy]

23. Iran's president questions Holocaust

Actually, he denies it.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2005-12-08T171212Z_01_RID850121_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST-IRAN-AHMADINEJAD.xml&rpc=22

<snip>
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday expressed doubt that the Holocaust occurred and suggested Israel be moved to Europe.

His comments, reported by Iran's official IRNA news agency from a news conference he gave in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, follow his call in October for Israel to be "wiped off the map", which sparked widespread international condemnation.

"Some European countries insist on saying that Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces and they insist on it to the extent that if anyone proves something contrary to that they condemn that person and throw them in jail," IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.

"Although we don't accept this claim, if we suppose it is true, our question for the Europeans is: is the killing of innocent Jewish people by Hitler the reason for their support to the occupiers of Jerusalem?" he said.

"If the Europeans are honest they should give some of their provinces in Europe -- like in Germany, Austria or other countries -- to the Zionists and the Zionists can establish their state in Europe. You offer part of Europe and we will support it."
<snip>

Shorter Ahmadinejad: "The Holocaust didn't happen, and even if it did we should expel those dirty Jews from the Mideast."

[liberalpragmatist]

24. Ass

I can only hope that Ahmadinejad will alienate people so much that the Islamic Republic will crumble. I've read a number of books about Iran and I very much want to visit the country. The 20th Century history of Iran is one gigantic tragedy.

Ahmadinejad is a scary dude. There's an article in Newsweek (plus a few others I've read) that discusses how a major power struggle is now breaking out. Ahmadinejad is a dangerous Utopian under the sway of one of the most radical clerics in Iran. The two of them believe that the return of the 12th Imam is imminent and they must prepare Iran for the end of days. Even the clerics leading the Supreme Council are getting scared and Ayatollah Khamenei is trying to stall him and seize power from him.

[orwell]

26. ReWrite

Ahmadinejad {Bush} is a dangerous Utopian {NeoCon} under the sway of one of the most radical clerics {Falwell, Robertson, Dobson} in Iran {US}. The two of them believe that the return of the 12th Imam {Christ} is imminent and they must prepare Iran for the end of days {Rapture}. Even the clerics leading the Supreme Council {Senate} are getting scared and Ayatollah Khamenei {McCain} is trying to stall him and seize power from him.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. ;)

[C_U_L8R]

28. Precisely...

the parallels betwen the two side are pretty exact.

Funny how both extremes believe they are in
an epic end-o-times battle where their "god"
is supposed to swoop down from the sky and
save the day. It's hilarious because its so
stupid and insane all at once.

All of them fools.

[Selteri]

29. Two sides of the same coin.

Too bad the coin is a fake.

[orwell]

25. Hey...

...It's nice to know that other countries can elect a dumbass for president as well as the US.

Damn, and I thought we were number 1!

[WindRavenX]

27. My god

I just got done reading "Ordinary Men", and let me tell you, I will thrash anyone who says shit like this.

Good god.

[Algorem]

32. secret 'arms for inflammatory speech' deal?

could this help Bush more?