by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright June 10, 2009
All Rights Reserved.

             Proving once-and-for-all he doesn’t discriminate, Iranian President Mahomoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at his closest election rival reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi with the same ferocity reserved for Israel  Comparing Mousavi to Adolf Hitler’s propaganda minister Josef Goebbels, Ahamdinejad went over the top.   Only two days away from national elections, Ahmadinejad blasted Mousavi for Iran’s economic woes, especially a whopping 25% inflation rate.  “They applied the methods of [Josef] Goebbels, propaganda minister of Hitler,” Ahmadinejad told thousands of supporters packed in a narrow Tehran neighborhood.  “They used this method of psychological warfare against our nation,” performing a classic of “the pot calling the kettle black.”  Ahmadinejad’s vicious assaults on Mousavi show no difference from his attacks on Israel, exposing some real insights. 

            Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shows little capacity to put Ahmadinejad’s hype into context, threatening unilateral action should Tehran refuse to give up its nuclear enrichment program.  Ahmadinejad, speaking at the World Without Zionism Confernce in Tehran Oct. 27, 2005, was notoriously misquoted saying he wanted to see Israel “wiped off the map.”  Ahmadinejad actually paraphrased Iran’s Ayatollah Khomenei, calling Israel an occupying regime a “disgraceful stain on the Islamic World,” calling for Israel to be “wiped from the pages of history,” not, as Netanyahu and his Foreign Minister Avigor Lieberman insist, to be “wiped off the map” in a military sense.  Netanyahu misquotes Ahamadiejad to call Iran’s nuclear program an existential threat.  Ahmadinejad has neither said nor implied he’d take military action against Israel.

            Ahmadinejad’s rhetoric gets heated and overblown, often misinterpreted with belligerent motives.  “With the grace of God, the Iranian nation will send them to the bottom of history,” referring to his hope on Election Day that voters will send Mousavi and other reform-minded and conservative candidates packing.  “Sending them to the bottom of history” implies some type of aggressive crescendo to a competitive race.  Facing Election Day June 12, Ahmadinejad worries that former Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei might siphon off enough conservative votes to hand Mousavi a victory.  Mousavi worries, on the other hand, that former parliament speaker Mahdi Karoubi could take away reform-minded votes from him.  Whatever the outcome, Ahmadinejad will remain a blowhard, forever the provocateur, rattling Israel and the United States.

            Mousavi prays young voters flock to the polls on Election Day, hoping that Ahmadinejad, who mirrors Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and conservative mullahs, goes into early retirement.  U.S. and Israeli officials need to take a realistic inventory of Iran.  Despite the heated rhetoric, Iran faces its own economic woes and has no intent of abandoning its nuclear program.  If the U.S. has learned anything from Iraq, it’s that preemptive war carries a heavy price.  Americans haven’t shirked from the responsibility to confront real threats to civilization, where there’s no choice but to stand up and fight.  Whether Iran eventually builds an A-bomb or not, it’s not appropriate or reasonable to attack a sovereign power on simply expectations.  If Iran eventually develops atomic weapons, it will be up to the international community urge Iran to follow acceptable rules and protocols.

            Ahmadinejad appeals to nationalists and Islamic fundamentalists, whose religion is a matter of worship and pride.  “He’s very brave and a real Muslim.  He says what is right and he doesn’t get frightened by anyone,” said 38-year-old Ahmandinejad supporter Mariam Nouri.  To nationalists and fundamentalists he’s a hero.  To others more interested in returning Iran to the modern world he’s a dangerous extremist alienating the West.  Ahmadinejad’s supporters like to see him standing up to the United States and other Western powers.  His tough talk about Israel and refusal to yield on Iran’s uranium enrichment programs has won him many conservative voters.  Ahmadinejad gambles that his tough talk wins him conservative voters, largely supported by mullahs currently controlling Iran.  Win, lose or draw, Ahmadinejad helped bolster Iranian pride and nationalism.

            Western powers, including Israel, would be well advised to watch Ahmadinejad in action, attacking his opponents in upcoming Iranian election as viciously as he does Israel or the United States.  President Barack Obama gave Iran until the end of the year before making any decisions about future sanctions for failing to stop enriching uranium.  Whether he’s talking about Israel or attacking his opponents’ upcoming elections, Ahmadinejad expresses the same hppe.  When he said in 2005 he wanted “to wipe Israel off the map,” he wasn’t talking about military action.  He referred to not recognizing the Jewish State because his Iman Ruhollah Khomenei said it’s wrong to support the detractors of Palestine.  At no time did Ahamadinejad threaten Israel with military force.  Before the U.S. or Israel opts for preemptive war, they need to correctly interpret Ahmadinejad’s words.

 About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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