Ahmadinejad Writes Letter to the American People

The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent an open letter to the American people today, urging Americans to disregard their government and to support unity with Iran. The letter, distributed by the Iranian mission to the U.N., addressed “Noble Americans” and criticized President Bush for his support Israel, his policy in Iraq, and his terrorist detention policies.The text of Mr. Ahmadinejad’s letter follows:Message of H.E. Dr. Mahmoud AhmadinejadPresident of the Islamic Republic of IranTo the American PeopleIn the name of God, the Compassionate, the MercifulO, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity the perfect human being promised toall by You, and make us among his followers.Noble Americans,Were we not faced with the activities of the US administration in this partof the world and the negative ramifications of those activities on the dailylives of our peoples, coupled with the many wars and calamities caused bythe US administration as well as the tragic consequences of US interferencein other countries;Were the American people not God-fearing, truth-loving, and justice-seeking,while the US administration actively conceals the truth and impedes anyobjective portrayal of current realities;And if we did not share a common responsibility to promote and protectfreedom and human dignity and integrity;Then, there would have been little urgency to have a dialogue with you.While Divine providence has placed Iran and the United States geographicallyfar apart, we should be cognizant that human values and our common humanspirit, which proclaim the dignity and exalted worth of all human beings,have brought our two great nations of Iran and the United States closertogether.Both our nations are God-fearing, truth-loving and justice-seeking, and bothseek dignity, respect and perfection.Both greatly value and readily embrace the promotion of human ideals such ascompassion, empathy, respect for the rights of human beings, securingjustice and equity, and defending the innocent and the weak againstoppressors and bullies.We are all inclined towards the good, and towards extending a helping handto one another, particularly to those in need.We all deplore injustice, the trampling of peoples’ rights and theintimidation and humiliation of human beings.We all detest darkness, deceit, lies and distortion, and seek and admiresalvation, enlightenment, sincerity and honesty.The pure human essence of the two great nations of Iran and the UnitedStates testify to the veracity of these statements.Noble Americans,Our nation has always extended its hand of friendship to all other nationsof the world.Hundreds of thousands of my Iranian compatriots are living amongst you infriendship and peace, and are contributing positively to your society. Ourpeople have been in contact with you over the past many years and havemaintained these contacts despite the unnecessary restrictions of USauthorities.As mentioned, we have common concerns, face similar challenges, and arepained by the sufferings and afflictions in the world.We, like you, are aggrieved by the ever-worsening pain and misery of thePalestinian people. Persistent aggressions by the Zionists are making lifemore and more difficult for the rightful owners of the land of Palestine.In broad day-light, in front of cameras and before the eyes of the world,they are bombarding innocent defenseless civilians, bulldozing houses,firing machine guns at students in the streets and alleys, and subjectingtheir families to endless grief.No day goes by without a new crime.Palestinian mothers, just like Iranian and American mothers, love theirchildren, and are painfully bereaved by the imprisonment, wounding andmurder of their children. What mother wouldn’t?For 60 years, the Zionist regime has driven millions of the inhabitants ofPalestine out of their homes. Many of these refugees have died in theDiaspora and in refugee camps. Their children have spent their youth inthese camps and are aging while still in the hope of returning to homeland.You know well that the US administration has persistently provided blind andblanket support to the Zionist regime, has emboldened it to continue itscrimes, and has prevented the UN Security Council from condemning it.Who can deny such broken promises and grave injustices towards humanity bythe US administration?Governments are there to serve their own people. No people wants to sidewith or support any oppressors. But regrettably, the US administrationdisregards even its own public opinion and remains in the forefront ofsupporting the trampling of the rights of the Palestinian people.Let’s take a look at Iraq. Since the commencement of the US militarypresence in Iraq, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed, maimedor displaced. Terrorism in Iraq has grown exponentially. With the presenceof the US military in Iraq, nothing has been done to rebuild the ruins, torestore the infrastructure or to alleviate poverty. The US Government usedthe pretext of the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, butlater it became clear that that was just a lie and a deception.Although Saddam was overthrown and people are happy about his departure, thepain and suffering of the Iraqi people has persisted and has even beenaggravated.In Iraq, about one hundred and fifty thousand American soldiers, separatedfrom their families and loved ones, are operating under the command of thecurrent US administration. A substantial number of them have been killed orwounded and their presence in Iraq has tarnished the image of the Americanpeople and government.Their mothers and relatives have, on numerous occasions, displayed theirdiscontent with the presence of their sons and daughters in a land thousandsof miles away from US shores. American soldiers often wonder why they havebeen sent to Iraq.I consider it extremely unlikely that you, the American people, consent tothe billions of dollars of annual expenditure from your treasury for thismilitary misadventure.Noble Americans,You have heard that the US administration is kidnapping its presumedopponents from across the globe and arbitrarily holding them without trialor any international supervision in horrendous prisons that it hasestablished in various parts of the world. God knows who these detaineesactually are, and what terrible fate awaits them.You have certainly heard the sad stories of the Guantanamo and Abu-Ghraibprisons. The US administration attempts to justify them through itsproclaimed “war on terror.” But every one knows that such behavior, infact, offends global public opinion, exacerbates resentment and therebyspreads terrorism, and tarnishes the US image and its credibility amongnations.The US administration’s illegal and immoral behavior is not even confined tooutside its borders. You are witnessing daily that under the pretext of“the war on terror,” civil liberties in the United States are beingincreasingly curtailed. Even the privacy of individuals is fast losing itsmeaning. Judicial due process and fundamental rights are trampled upon.Private phones are tapped, suspects are arbitrarily arrested, sometimesbeaten in the streets, or even shot to death.I have no doubt that the American people do not approve of this behavior andindeed deplore it.The US administration does not accept accountability before anyorganization, institution or council. The US administration has underminedthe credibility of international organizations, particularly the UnitedNations and its Security Council. But, I do not intend to address all thechallenges and calamities in this message.The legitimacy, power and influence of a government do not emanate from itsarsenals of tanks, fighter aircrafts, missiles or nuclear weapons.Legitimacy and influence reside in sound logic, quest for justice andcompassion and empathy for all humanity. The global position of the UnitedStates is in all probability weakened because the administration hascontinued to resort to force, to conceal the truth, and to mislead theAmerican people about its policies and practices.Undoubtedly, the American people are not satisfied with this behavior andthey showed their discontent in the recent elections. I hope that in thewake of the mid-term elections, the administration of President Bush willhave heard and will heed the message of the American people.My questions are the following:Is there not a better approach to governance?Is it not possible to put wealth and power in the service of peace,stability, prosperity and the happiness of all peoples through a commitmentto justice and respect for the rights of all nations, instead of aggressionand war?We all condemn terrorism, because its victims are the innocent.But, can terrorism be contained and eradicated through war, destruction andthe killing of hundreds of thousands of innocents?If that were possible, then why has the problem not been resolved?The sad experience of invading Iraq is before us all.What has blind support for the Zionists by the US administration brought forthe American people? It is regrettable that for the US administration, theinterests of these occupiers supersedes the interests of the American peopleand of the other nations of the world.What have the Zionists done for the American people that the USadministration considers itself obliged to blindly support these infamousaggressors? Is it not because they have imposed themselves on a substantialportion of the banking, financial, cultural and media sectors?I recommend that in a demonstration of respect for the American people andfor humanity, the right of Palestinians to live in their own homeland shouldbe recognized so that millions of Palestinian refugees can return to theirhomes and the future of all of Palestine and its form of government bedetermined in a referendum. This will benefit everyone.Now that Iraq has a Constitution and an independent Assembly and Government,would it not be more beneficial to bring the US officers and soldiers home,and to spend the astronomical US military expenditures in Iraq for thewelfare and prosperity of the American people? As you know very well, manyvictims of Katrina continue to suffer, and countless Americans continue tolive in poverty and homelessness.I’d also like to say a word to the winners of the recent elections in theUS:The United States has had many administrations; some who have left apositive legacy, and others that are neither remembered fondly by theAmerican people nor by other nations.Now that you control an important branch of the US Government, you will alsobe held to account by the people and by history.If the US Government meets the current domestic and external challenges withan approach based on truth and Justice, it can remedy some of the pastafflictions and alleviate some of the global resentment and hatred ofAmerica. But if the approach remains the same, it would not be unexpectedthat the American people would similarly reject the new electoral winners,although the recent elections, rather than reflecting a victory, in realitypoint to the failure of the current administration’s policies. Theseissues had been extensively dealt with in my letter to President Bushearlier this year.To sum up:It is possible to govern based on an approach that is distinctly differentfrom one of coercion, force and injustice.It is possible to sincerely serve and promote common human values, andhonesty and compassion.It is possible to provide welfare and prosperity without tension, threats,imposition or war.It is possible to lead the world towards the aspired perfection by adheringto unity, monotheism, morality and spirituality and drawing upon theteachings of the Divine Prophets.Then, the American people, who are God-fearing and followers of Divinereligions, will overcome every difficulty.What I stated represents some of my anxieties and concerns.I am confident that you, the American people, will play an instrumental rolein the establishment of justice and spirituality throughout the world. Thepromises of the Almighty and His prophets will certainly be realized;Justice and Truth will prevail and all nations will live a true life in aclimate replete with love, compassion and fraternity.The US governing establishment, the authorities and the powerful should notchoose irreversible paths. As all prophets have taught us, injustice andtransgression will eventually bring about decline and demise. Today, thepath of return to faith and spirituality is open and unimpeded.We should all heed the Divine Word of the Holy Qur’an:“But those who repent, have faith and do good may receive Salvation. YourLord, alone, creates and chooses as He will, and others have no part in Hischoice; Glorified is God and Exalted above any partners they ascribe toHim.” (28:67-68)I pray to the Almighty to bless the Iranian and American nations and indeedall nations of the world with dignity and success.Mahmoud AhmadinejadPresident of the Islamic Republic of Iran29 November 2006

Ahmadinejad Writes Letter to the American People

Ahmadinejad Writes Letter to the American People

More from the New York Sun

UK Breakup Is on Table at High-Level Meeting at Cardiff

Wisconsin Congressman Swims Away From Sinking Plane After Emergency Lake Landing

Ricin Confirmed at Michigan Apartment Complex, Access Restricted as FBI Opens Probe

China’s Xi Dominates BRICS Summit at New Delhi in Rehearsal for Meeting With Trump

America’s Jobs Surge Is Good News for Trump’s Crackdown on Illegal Immigration

The Left, After Spending $9 Trillion To Change the Weather, Concedes the Money Was Wasted

Biggest AI Rivals Agree They Need To Pump Brakes as Anthropic CEO Warns AI Poses Risk to Humanity

Trump Calls for a ‘Unified Ireland,’ Provoking Anger From Kemi Badenoch and British Conservatives

More from the New York Sun

UK Breakup Is on Table at High-Level Meeting at Cardiff

Wisconsin Congressman Swims Away From Sinking Plane After Emergency Lake Landing

Ricin Confirmed at Michigan Apartment Complex, Access Restricted as FBI Opens Probe

China’s Xi Dominates BRICS Summit at New Delhi in Rehearsal for Meeting With Trump

America’s Jobs Surge Is Good News for Trump’s Crackdown on Illegal Immigration

The Left, After Spending $9 Trillion To Change the Weather, Concedes the Money Was Wasted

Biggest AI Rivals Agree They Need To Pump Brakes as Anthropic CEO Warns AI Poses Risk to Humanity

Trump Calls for a ‘Unified Ireland,’ Provoking Anger From Kemi Badenoch and British Conservatives