"Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mualem in Tehran on Tuesday assured that the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel will soon come to the end of their lives."
http://www.irib.ir/worldservice/englishRADIO/default.htm

This is from the "Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting" website.

Okay Free, how did they screw up the translation and what did Ahmadinejad really mean.

I can't help but wonder why mr. Ahmadinejad uses such provocative language, as it seems he's trying to goat Israel to attack Iran. Perhaps he himself is looking for a war?

Its kinda funny because a lot of those close to him in the goverment and religious departments actually do not support what he is saying. Not that they like the west or Israel, but his hard line agenda seems to not be going over too well.

I know the old quote "If someone says he's going to kill you, believe him," or whatever it is, but sometimes you have to recognize when someone's just talking out of his ass. Ahmadinejad knows very well he doesn't have the capability to destroy the United States, or Israel for that matter. There are better things to lose sleep over.

"Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mualem in Tehran on Tuesday assured that the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel will soon come to the end of their lives."


The link wasn't working for me this morning, so I have to ask...did you quote the whole inflammatory passage?

If you did, what do you think he meant, and what actions if any do you advocate we undertake based on this interpretation?

Scare Tactics...just like the doomsday clock.

1. ....but sometimes you have to recognize when someone's just talking out of his ass.

You seem to have this figured out.
How can you tell?

I just looked at that link and the quote you mention is nowhere on there.

Allthough I did see this:

Ahmadinejad Calls Undermining Iraqi Popular Gov't as Treachery
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday referred to undermining Iraq's popular government as treachery to the Iraqi nation and Muslim Ummah.

You seem to have this figured out.
How can you tell?If Ahmadinejad said he was going to cure cancer soon, would you be extremely hopeful? Probably not. So then I have to wonder why one should be extremely worried about him saying the United States will be destroyed. It's probably easier to cure cancer than to destroy the US.

Destruction - impossible.
Attempted destruction - still pretty painful.

This is sounding like 2002 all over again, only instead or Iraq now we are talking about Iran.

Even if we wanted to do something about Iran we cannot.

We lack the resources.

Okay Free, how did they screw up the translation ...

I do not know that they did.

I couldn't make the connection with your link, but i found this that he said, that seems to be what people are focusing on-----

"Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad… assured that the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel will soon come to the end of their lives," the Iranian president was quoted as saying.


....and what did Ahmadinejad really mean.

He (very correctly in my opinion) noted that those two nations have devolved to the point that they are at the end of Empire. Plain and simple.

What he did not mean, and (from what i have read of what he said in the speech) and what he did not suggest, was that he or his nation would contribute to or be involved in bringing about that end.

The US in particular, thanks to Bush, is despised and feared throught much of the rest of the world. That does not bode well for the future. A truly great and durable nation is liked and respected........thanks to Bush and his ConservaCorporatist minions, the US has come to be the opposite of that.

Ahmadinejad also noted,absolutely correctly, that ----

"Sparking discord among Muslims, especially between the Shiites and Sunnis, is a plot hatched by the Zionists and the US for dominating regional nations and looting their resources"

Truer words were never spoken.

He (very correctly in my opinion) noted that those two nations have devolved to the point that they are at the end of Empire. Plain and simple.The people at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting website, who did the translation, didn't see the world "Empire" in his statements.
Maybe they could hire you as a translator.
Plain and simple.

I can't help but wonder why mr. Ahmadinejad uses such provocative language, as it seems he's trying to goat Israel to attack Iran. Perhaps he himself is looking for a war?

I'd agree. He's on very shaky ground within iran. His rhetoric regarding the US is designed to get a response from the US which rallies his shrinking base. My guess at this point is that he will not run in the next election. The mullahs will need to find another.

I'd agree. He's on very shaky ground within iran. His rhetoric regarding the US is designed to get a response from the US which rallies his shrinking base. My guess at this point is that he will not run in the next election. The mullahs will need to find another.

He's bringing entirely to much focus on Iran and its' activities for the mullahs to remain comfortable with him.

Unpopular politicians in the U.S.S.R. used to disappear after getting "colds" ... I wonder what explanation the mullahs will offer?

Maybe the same one they gave bani sadr.

but i found this that he said, that seems to be what people are focusing on-----

"Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad… assured that the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel will soon come to the end of their lives," the Iranian president was quoted as saying.


He (very correctly in my opinion) noted that those two nations have devolved to the point that they are at the end of Empire. Plain and simple.

What he did not mean, and (from what i have read of what he said in the speech) and what he did not suggest, was that he or his nation would contribute to or be involved in bringing about that end.
You're a sad man, FT. Since when has Israel ever been an "empire"? That aside, even if we're financially superceded by China in 30 years, the pittance we give Israel could easily be doubled or tripled INDEFINITELY. If you think about this logically, the only thing he was doing is threatening us. Israel is in no fear of "falling", just like we're in no fear of "falling". We're, by far, China's largest asset, and if you think for one second they're planning to shit where they eat, then you're as deluded as Ahmadinejad is. Our industry is worth 12 trillion a year. Even if we're relegated to the number 2 spot when we're only making 10 trillion, we could still OWN the Middle East without fear of reprisal from anyone. No one's even in the same ballpark militarily. Be that as it may, I wouldn't be surprised if we hadn't already developed a viable alternative energy source by then, and having said that, I'm blown away that you (or others just like you) don't see Ahmadinejad's comments for what they're worth. I mean, seriously, WTF is wrong with you people? -

"Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad… assured that the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel will soon come to the end of their lives".

What - do you want me to draw you a fucking picture???

Here's my two cents on this Ahmadinejad fellow: He's a religious zealot who thinks God is telling him what will happen. He's not making "threats" any more than Pat Robertson is when he predicts a terrorist attack for this year. It is pure bullshit scare tactics, if you ask me, and this subject doesn't deserve the amount of discussion it gets.

I wonder what explanation the mullahs will offer?
"He's with the virgins now".

He's probably doing what we would call "rallying his base" since that fanatical faction in Iran is not what it once was. Saudi Arabia, for example, encourages a certain level of militancy so as to distract their population from seeing how badly they are ruled.

The problem is that if you rally this particular base, they are the threat, even if Mr. A isn't.

You're a sad man, FT.

You'd be sad too if your ignorance did not prevent you from seeing that your nation has come to be led by fascists.

If you think about this logically, the only thing he was doing is threatening us.

False.

I saw no *threat* whatsover being made by Ahmadinejad. He was simply noting what is about to occur.

He in no way implied that he or his nation were going to help bring about that *end of their lives* that he spoke of. Get a fucking grip.

"Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad… assured that the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel will soon come to the end of their lives". .......................I'm blown away that you (or others just like you) don't see Ahmadinejad's comments for what they're worth. I mean, seriously, WTF is wrong with you people?

I see his comments for exactly what they are and what they meant.

He was speaking the truth as he sees it, in what he believes to be the future of the two nations in question.....and I believe he was correct.

The US and Israel are the number one and number two terrorist states in the world today, in terms of exporting state-sanctioned terrorism. Period.

There is a finite amount of time that the world will put up with terrorist bullies like the US and Israel. I think that the time is near when the rest of the world says --"Enough!"-- to Bush and to the Zionists occupying Israel.

I saw no *threat* whatsover being made by Ahmadinejad. He was simply noting what is about to occur.
Well that's a load off...

In that case, president Bush should get into the prophecy racket, too. I mean, how cool would it be to hear him say the whole of Iran will soon meet it's end (with the unspoken understanding that his comment was not meant to be a threat, but prophetic)? I mean, hey...he's not browbeating Iran - he's just *noting* what's about to occur, right?
I see his comments for exactly what they are and what they meant.

Well, with all due respect, I know you're fond of his prescient abilities, but I seriously doubt you're making logical sense of this. That aside, how do you know what he meant? He's probably banking on people just like you to argue over the possible implications. Think about it, if we take his comments literally, then we're reactionaries...If we wait, and a homegrown nuke (with chemical constituents bearing an Iranian signature) just so happens to level NYC, then Ahmadinejad was just speculating, right?

I don't buy it for a second; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That fucker needs to be removed from "office", and fast.

There is a finite amount of time that the world will put up with terrorist bullies like the US and Israel. I think that the time is near when the rest of the world says --"Enough!"-- to Bush and to the Zionists occupying Israel.
Good.

Then maybe the whole world can issue thinly veiled threats from a UN pulpit during Ahmadinejad's televised funeral. You know what's even better than that - to say what you mean, and mean what you say. Take, for example, the Euro-pussies. Hell, I might just start to respect them for actually sticking to their guns on something. How novel that would be, eh...?

Having said that, I wouldn't bet on it.

1. your nation has come to be led by fascists.
2. He was simply noting what is about to occur....He was speaking the truth as he sees it, in what he believes to be the future 1. You're so courageous being so outspoken in the US. If this were true fascism your balls would be raisins.

2. C'mon Prae, he's not threatening. He's one of Dionne Warwick's Psychic Friends.

1. You're so courageous being so outspoken in the US. If this were true fascism your balls would be raisins.

2. C'mon Prae, he's not threatening. He's one of Dionne Warwick's Psychic Friends.
LOL - no shit.

everytime freethinker call Bush or American conservatives fascists the real meaning of the word loses a little bit. Its like a kid saying every toy he sees on TV is his favorite toy. Pretty soon you just nod and say "uh huh" because it means nothing anymore.

...the real meaning of the word loses a little bit.
That's so true and it drives me crazy.
All over the world there are people who lived (and still do) through those terrible conditions.
The quotation "If you don't remember the past you are doomed to relive it" is thrown around all the time. But you don't have to forget the past to doom yourself.
Diminishing it will have the same result.

He's a religious zealot who thinks God is telling him what will happen.


Reminds me a bit of Bush that way.