Playing into Ahmadinejad's hands? - Reader comments at The New York Sun

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Ahmadinejad In New York

Submitted by Scott Baker, Sep 20, 2007 10:37

Of course it is a stunt. Of course it is disingenuous, offensive and a move designed to raise our ire. Unfortunately, that's exactly what Mr. Ahmadinejad has succeeded in doing, and in the Arab world, that's what counts. Now, he can go back and say (again, disingenuously), "See, I tried to make nice to the Americans by offering my condolences for 9/11, but they rebuffed me!" Poor Ahmadinejad. Even the Arabs will see through this, of course, but the point is, we took the low road here. It would have been better to let him visit, then make sure our FREE media reports on the hundreds (thousands?) of protestors who would be sure to show up when he goes, to show that the country knows the President of Iran for what he is. This way it looks like we don't allow freedom of movement for visiting heads of state, however dispised. It also demonstrates, again, that our Government is turning into a paternalistic guardian that doesn't trust its own people - also putting the lie to our professed beliefs in Liberty and elightment through open discourse. This will play well when he returns to Iran to make speaches about how hostile America is. Ahmadinejad is more shrewd than us, I'm afraid.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
I don't understand why American's are so petrified by the visit of Iranian President, when the US can invite the... [MORE]	Royce George	Sep 25, 2007 17:33
Other presidents from other coutries that have visited this country have been welcome and yet they are affiliated with terrorism,... [MORE]	MILLIE	Nov 4, 2007 20:38
in the name of Alllah(God) the benfisent the mersiful hello my sisters and brother from all of the word i am an... [MORE]	rose parsa	Sep 24, 2007 16:18
Let's think about that one for a second. [MORE]	james Daniel	Sep 21, 2007 00:32
I will be the first to protest Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday outside Lerner Hall. But I will be the last... [MORE]	Tim	Sep 20, 2007 17:24
The Sun is quite right in its assessment. Ahmanadinejad tried to play New Yorkers, and the rest of us, for... [MORE]	Kyda Sylvester	Sep 20, 2007 12:38
It is beyond my comprehension why Columbia would even allow this man to speak. I can't even understand why he... [MORE]	jane auger sr.	Sep 20, 2007 10:39
Of course it is a stunt. Of course it is disingenuous, offensive and a move designed to raise our ire....	Scott Baker	Sep 20, 2007 10:37
Columbia University's invitation to Ahmadinejad has brought shame on a great university, that once stood for justice and truth. [MORE]	Naomi Steinberger	Sep 20, 2007 10:25
With this obscene invitation Columbia disregards the victims of Ahmadinejad's virulent anti-Semitism. This will prove a profoundly shameful moment in... [MORE]	James Carmine	Sep 20, 2007 17:45
I am not an islamic scholar in any stretch but I believe once a religious leader or cleric offers prayers... [MORE]	jerry	Sep 20, 2007 10:15
Not to be knit-picky, but the first paragraph of the article says: "the scene of Al Qaeda's crime" in reference... [MORE]	vt	Sep 20, 2007 08:10
Welcome Amadinejad to ground zero and allow a girder to accidentally drop on his head. Oops! [MORE]	Danny Kidron	Sep 20, 2007 03:38
In response to this article, to the entire visit of President Ahmadinejad, and also to Danny Kidron's response "Welcome the... [MORE]	vic	Oct 9, 2007 11:47

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