And Yet the Ape...
...though well behaved, at best was just a monkey shaved. So it seems with Iran's "President," Mahmoud "Magilla" Ahmadinejad. I don't mean this as a racist jibe (if I were, I'd be making fun of my own race, since Ahmadinejad is almost literally "Caucasian"). No -- despite his obvious resemblance to a partially-shorn macaque -- I refer to the attempt he's making to appear a "peacemaker" with his "private" letter to President Bush. Given the contents of the letter and the man's past pronouncements, perhaps it would be more apt to say that taking the lunatic out of the asylum doesn’t mean he's sane.
The WSJ has made the full text of the letter available online. It proves that we fight against an ideology that is really more akin to a form of insanity than to any rational philosophy of life. Ahmadinejad, one of the most visible spokesmen for radicalized islam, is a flaming nutball and his rambling, nearly-incoherent letter proves it. It is so sick, it reads as if it might have been written by Nancy Pelosi. A few snippets:
There’s nothing like having the name of Christ invoked by one who would behead or enslave every Christian on Earth. The student – teacher meme continues throughout the letter. What does it have to do with anything? He’s writing as one head of state to another. Is he trying to subtly remind us that when he was a university student himself, he was one of the principle instigators of the US Embassy hostage-taking?
He goes on for four pages about the damjooz and their “occupation” of “Palestine.” You can guess his opinions on the Holocaust as a justification for the creation of Israel:
Wha’ the…?
Love that “let’s assume it’s true.” “All us university types know the goldangedjuuze made the whole thing up to rationalize their land grab. But even “assuming” it’s true, there’s still no justification for the state of Israel” (to answer his rhetorical question). The jooooze must go. Tel Aviv delenda est.
Interestingly, he invokes the name of Moses (“PBUH”) as one whose “liberal values” incline him to question support for the state of Israel. Mahmoud, I think we can guess that ol’ Moses would have favored Israel. I’m not sure on a lot of the history, not being a university teacher like yourself, but I think that one’s a pretty safe bet.
He then abruptly sails off on another tack:
Where did that one come from? Ohhhh, he means Venezuela…
So… Africa’s “poverty and hardship” is America’s fault – we’re “looting” Africa’s “enormous wealth” and refuse to share our own. Doubtless the jeauxz are behind it somehow. Now he’s off in Marcus Garveyland. He should be writing for Daily Kos.
If you’re so concerned about Africans, Mr. “President,” why don’t you spread some of Iran’s “enormous wealth” to alleviate the suffering? What? You don’t have enormous wealth because the mullahs have been looting your country for decades? Sounds like a personal problem to me.
A ha! Americans planned 9-11 themselves. The CIA and the damnjews cooked it up!
Okay, we can talk about Bill Clinton and Madeleine Albright if you really want to, Mr “President.”
You ever heard of Gitmo, Mahmoud? Oh, yes, you have – you mention it prominently in the letter. That’s where the perps go. Maybe they’ll get a trial someday. Maybe not. Thoughout history, saboteurs have usually just been shot outright, so they’ve already gotten more consideration than they’re due.
Then consider your days numbered, Mahmoud.
Then how can you explain the existence of the evil you condemn being in the world? Your god must not be very powerful or be duplicitous if he dictates the conditions of the world and yet allows evil loose within it. My God informs us that He has left mankind to its own devices because of sin. Hence, people like you, Mahmoud, are allowed to run loose.
Now we get down to it. This is not a peace overture, it’s a declaration of war.
In fact, there is a certain internal logic to the viewpoint expressed in the letter. Reading it was like watching “a beautiful mind” – one can almost buy into madness, but ultimately the conspiracies just turn out to be figments of someone’s imagination.
I predict this letter will be taken up by Michael Moore and other Hollywood types, along with Mother Sheehan and her anti-America crowd, as a manifesto of sorts. It would be beneath our President’s dignity to respond to it with anything other than bombs and missiles.
Monk
Update: James Lileks has a slightly differing translation of the Ahmadinejab letter. I prefer his.
Update 12 May 06: The New York Sun points out that the letter's closing salutation proves it is a declaration of war:
The WSJ has made the full text of the letter available online. It proves that we fight against an ideology that is really more akin to a form of insanity than to any rational philosophy of life. Ahmadinejad, one of the most visible spokesmen for radicalized islam, is a flaming nutball and his rambling, nearly-incoherent letter proves it. It is so sick, it reads as if it might have been written by Nancy Pelosi. A few snippets:
Mr. President:
You might know that I am a teacher. My students ask me how can these actions [the invasion of Iraq] be reconciled with the values outlined in the beginning of this letter and duty to the tradition of Jesus Christ (PBUH), the messenger of peace and forgiveness?
There’s nothing like having the name of Christ invoked by one who would behead or enslave every Christian on Earth. The student – teacher meme continues throughout the letter. What does it have to do with anything? He’s writing as one head of state to another. Is he trying to subtly remind us that when he was a university student himself, he was one of the principle instigators of the US Embassy hostage-taking?
He goes on for four pages about the damjooz and their “occupation” of “Palestine.” You can guess his opinions on the Holocaust as a justification for the creation of Israel:
Young people, university students, and ordinary people have many questions about the phenomenon of Israel. I am sure you are familiar with some of them…. I tell them to study the history of WWI and II. One of my students told me that during WWII, which more than tens of millions of people perished in, news about the war, was quickly disseminated by the warring parties. Each touted their victories and the most recent battlefront defeat of the other party. After the war they claimed that six million Jews had been killed. Six million people that were surely related to at least two million families….
Wha’ the…?
…Again let us assume that these events are true. Does that logically translate into the establishment of the state of Israel in the Middle East or support for such a state? How can this phenomenon be rationalized or explained?
Love that “let’s assume it’s true.” “All us university types know the goldangedjuuze made the whole thing up to rationalize their land grab. But even “assuming” it’s true, there’s still no justification for the state of Israel” (to answer his rhetorical question). The jooooze must go. Tel Aviv delenda est.
Interestingly, he invokes the name of Moses (“PBUH”) as one whose “liberal values” incline him to question support for the state of Israel. Mahmoud, I think we can guess that ol’ Moses would have favored Israel. I’m not sure on a lot of the history, not being a university teacher like yourself, but I think that one’s a pretty safe bet.
He then abruptly sails off on another tack:
Don’t Latin Americans have the right to ask why their elected governments are being opposed and coup leaders supported? Or, Why must they constantly be threatened and live in fear?
Where did that one come from? Ohhhh, he means Venezuela…
The people of Africa are hardworking, creative and talented. They can play an important and valuable role in providing for the needs of humanity and contribute to its material and spiritual progress. Poverty and hardship in large parts of Africa are preventing this from happening. Don’t they have the right to ask why their enormous wealth – including minerals – is being looted, despite the fact that they need it more than others?
So… Africa’s “poverty and hardship” is America’s fault – we’re “looting” Africa’s “enormous wealth” and refuse to share our own. Doubtless the jeauxz are behind it somehow. Now he’s off in Marcus Garveyland. He should be writing for Daily Kos.
If you’re so concerned about Africans, Mr. “President,” why don’t you spread some of Iran’s “enormous wealth” to alleviate the suffering? What? You don’t have enormous wealth because the mullahs have been looting your country for decades? Sounds like a personal problem to me.
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.
A ha! Americans planned 9-11 themselves. The CIA and the damnjews cooked it up!
Why have various aspects of the attacks been kept secret? Why are we not told who botched their responsibilties?
Okay, we can talk about Bill Clinton and Madeleine Albright if you really want to, Mr “President.”
And, why aren’t those responsible and the guilty parties identified and put on trial?
You ever heard of Gitmo, Mahmoud? Oh, yes, you have – you mention it prominently in the letter. That’s where the perps go. Maybe they’ll get a trial someday. Maybe not. Thoughout history, saboteurs have usually just been shot outright, so they’ve already gotten more consideration than they’re due.
Mr. President,
History tells us that repressive and cruel governments do not survive.
Then consider your days numbered, Mahmoud.
God has entrusted the fate of man to them. The Almighty has not left the universe and humanity to their own devices. Many things have happened that are contrary to the wishes and plans of governments. These tell us that there is a higher power at work and all events are determined by him.
Then how can you explain the existence of the evil you condemn being in the world? Your god must not be very powerful or be duplicitous if he dictates the conditions of the world and yet allows evil loose within it. My God informs us that He has left mankind to its own devices because of sin. Hence, people like you, Mahmoud, are allowed to run loose.
Liberalism and western style democracy have not been able to help realize the ideals of humanity. Today these two concepts have failed. Those with insight can already hear the sounds of the shattering and fall of the ideology and thoughts of the Liberal democratic systems.
Now we get down to it. This is not a peace overture, it’s a declaration of war.
In fact, there is a certain internal logic to the viewpoint expressed in the letter. Reading it was like watching “a beautiful mind” – one can almost buy into madness, but ultimately the conspiracies just turn out to be figments of someone’s imagination.
I predict this letter will be taken up by Michael Moore and other Hollywood types, along with Mother Sheehan and her anti-America crowd, as a manifesto of sorts. It would be beneath our President’s dignity to respond to it with anything other than bombs and missiles.
Monk
Update: James Lileks has a slightly differing translation of the Ahmadinejab letter. I prefer his.
Update 12 May 06: The New York Sun points out that the letter's closing salutation proves it is a declaration of war:
President Ahmadinejad's letter to President Bush, widely interpreted as a peaceful overture, is in fact a declaration of war. The key sentence in the letter is the closing salutation. In an eight-page text of the letter being circulated by the Council on Foreign Relations, it is left untranslated and rendered as "Vasalam Ala Man Ataba'al hoda." What this means is "Peace only unto those who follow the true path."
It is a phrase with historical significance in Islam, for, according to Islamic tradition, in year six of the Hejira - the late 620s - the prophet Mohammad sent letters to the Byzantine emperor and the Sassanid emperor telling them to convert to the true faith of Islam or be conquered. The letters included the same phrase that President Ahmadinejad used to conclude his letter to Mr. Bush. For Mohammad, the letters were a prelude to a Muslim offensive, a war launched for the purpose of imposing Islamic rule over infidels.
posted by Monk | 17:01
