Not the band. I'm talking about recent remarks from Iran's new president...I'm going to attempt to spell his name here...ready...Mr. Ahmhgewrhdsfojdjgdjad. That guy. He recently got some press for saying that Israel should be wiped off the map. If nothing else, the man seems to be honest.
Amir Teheri has been watching closely, and has more insight:
Those who have tried to build a life on the basis of a little bit of Islam and a little bit of Western modernism are made uncomfortable by Ahmadinejad who is forcing everyone to take sides. What Ahmadinejad is saying is simple: one cannot be half pregnant, either you are or you are not.
This sounds like dangerous rhetoric coming from a country with a recent sordid history with us. Many in the government, including Bill Clinton, concluded they helped the Saudi Hizballah groups pull off the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing, which killed many American servicemen. Our response was to send Louis Freeh and John O'Neill from the FBI to investigate, whereupon they got stonewalled.
Mr. Teheri continues:
in less than 100 days Ahmadinejad has shaken many mullahs on their pulpits and more monkeys up their trees. The reason is that he is asking everyone to be honest with themselves. He believes that the world is heading for a clash of civilisations in which Islam is the only credible alternative to Western domination. And he is convinced that Islam can and will win.
I'm sure he'd also like a few nukes to go, hold the inspectors please. Normally you'd think such a man would be bluffing and playing up to his base. Maybe. But one of the strategic benefits of going into Iraq and Afghanistan was to surround these nutballs.
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