Ahmadinejad blinks first

[Socod_badne]

Iranian President Writes Letter to Bush

 

 

By CHRISTINE HAUSER

Published: May 8, 2006

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has written a letter to President Bush with suggestions on how to resolve current international tensions, Iranian officials said today, but there was no immediate information about whether he was proposing a solution to differences over Iran's nuclear program.

 

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left, visits a press fair in Tehran, Iran, with his Culture Minister Mohammad Hosein Saffar Harandi.

Frederick Jones, the spokesman for the National Security Council, was informed just after 2:00 p.m. that the letter arrived at the White House. He said that Stephen J. Hadley, President Bush's national security adviser, would examine it along with the council's staff. He did not have any information on the tone or content of the letter or on when Mr. Bush would review it.

 

Officials in Iran would not disclose the contents of the letter, which was forwarded to Washington through the Swiss embassy, which represents American interests in Iran.

 

The letter is believed to be the first direct public communication sent by an Iranian president to an American president since ties between the nations were severed after the American Embassy in Tehran was seized in 1979.

 

The United States director of intelligence, John D. Negroponte, said today in a briefing in Washington that he had not read the letter, but he suspected it could be linked to discussion in the United Nations Security Council over Iran's nuclear program.

 

"Certainly one of the hypotheses you'd have to examine is whether and in what way the timing of the dispatch of that letter is connected with trying in some manner to influence the debate before the Security Council," Mr. Negroponte said.

 

The announcement that Mr. Ahmadinejad had sent a letter to Mr. Bush came as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in New York today with foreign ministers from Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia to chart a common position over Iran's failure to comply with the United Nations Security Council demand to suspend uranium enrichment.

 

Since last month, when Mr. Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had reached a milestone in its nuclear program with low-level uranium enrichment, the Iranian government has become more vocal about its right and determination to pursue the program for power purposes, putting it increasingly at odds with the United States and its allies who believe Iran is intent on developing nuclear weapons.

 

"Ahmadinejad, in his letter, spoke of the current tense situation in the world and suggested ways of solving problems and of easing tensions," said an Iranian government spokesman, Gholamhossein Elham, at a news briefing today that was carried by the Iranian news agency Irna. He also said that the Iranian president had sent letters to other leaders of "certain countries."

 

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said that the text of Mr. Ahmadinejad's letter would be made public after the United States received it.

 

President Bush's national security adviser, Mr. Hadley, said early today that he was not aware of any such letter. But he said that Iran needed to suspend of enrichment activities to open the door for a diplomatic resolution.

 

"We are working with allies in the international community to achieve that result," he said in an interview on NBC.

 

Britain and France circulated a draft Security Council resolution last week demanding that Iran give up its nuclear program. The measure was drafted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, which makes compliance with resolutions mandatory and opens the way to penalties or military action against nations that defy them. But imposing penalties would require a second resolution.

 

China and Russia, permanent Security Council members with veto power, have declared opposition to a resolution under Chapter VII.

 

Iranian government officials struck a defiant tone on Sunday in their response to the prospect of a United Nations resolution against Iran's nuclear activities, saying they would reject such a measure and threatening to halt cooperation with the United Nations nuclear monitoring group, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

 

In addition, Mr. Ahmadinejad said on Sunday that international treaties became "invalid" as soon as they failed to secure the rights of nations. He said that if a nation's rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty were violated, "Then that nation would revise its decision and the treaty would become invalid," the Iranian news agency reported.

 

 

Source: NYTimes

[codetalker]

^

 

Exactly, how did President Ahmedinejad "blink" first?

[Castro]

^ By writing "I'm sorry your highness" letter to Dubya. He didn't really blink, he got a sharp stick in his eye.

[Gabbal]

I hardly think Socod Badne would have posted "Bush Blinks first" if the alleged letter was written by the U.S rather then Iran.

 

Hatred for Islam leads him to hate everything associated with Islam.

[Castro]

^ Oh shut it please. You've no idea what anyone's motives are. If Socod_badne hates Islam by posting this what does that make of nations that finance and house US troops so they could invade their own brethren?

 

Iran had no choice but to blink. The Russians and Chinese are no friends of Muslims and they will not defy the US to appease us. Iran saw the writing on the wall and had to wise up fast. If not, the outcome is quite clear.

[Gabbal]

Oh shut it please.

You really shouldn't copy me.

[Castro]

^ Dee adna nagadaa hadaba hebel baa Islam neceb iyo wax gabalku udhacay.

[Guhaad]

Originally posted by Castro:

Iran had no choice but to blink. The Russians and Chinese are no friends of Muslims and they will not defy the US to appease us.

Iran saw the writing on the wall and had to wise up fast. If not, the outcome is quite clear

.

war Aniga duceyba iga maraysey, oo rajo baa jirta ma is laheyn. bal in la rusheeyo iyo in ey letter-ku shaqeyso mid un bey noqon

[Castro]

^ Not so fast atheer. There may still be bombing to be had. Bush "rejected" the letter from Iran on the grounds that it has no mention of halting nuclear research. LOL. Talk about getting b!tch-slapped. Now, the Iranians have a couple of options: either withdraw from the retched NPT and give the UN Security Council and its blood-thirsty members (US, UK and France) the finger and risk getting bombed to the stone age (my choice) or they could stop this nuclear nonsense and keep their clandestine support for the "terrorist" organizations in the hope that the US will eventually cut its losses in Iraq and Afghanistan and run. All the while cashing in on the $70+/barrel price of oil. It's hardly in their best interest to keep this posture. There are better ways to get what you want without losing life or limb.

[Guhaad]

^Indeed Atheer, i must agree with you on that. the letter did nothing but to expose Iran's ambivalency. why would it contradict itself with this letter. it must abide by all the rules by Western nations or face the consequences. Like you, I see no line between the two stages. but with this letter, we are given a little 'blink' into a volatile situation.

[Socod_badne]

Codetalker

 

Ahmedinejad blinked first by writing that cowering letter on 'how to resolve issues' after all the tough guy talk. C'mon, be honest, at least admit that was total surprise considering the stuff he's been sputtering.

 

 

HornAfrique

 

Iranians are muslims? Aren't Shias, who reject the Sunnah, kufrs or something?

[DraGon]

Cowering!!! I think not.

 

He is actually trying to educate Bush (your prophet). Go and read about the contents of the letter before your pull out your pompoons and start kicking high like a basketball cheerleader.

[Jabhad]

Ahmadinejad letter attacks Bush

 

Ahmadinejad's letter came at a time of heightened tension

Details have emerged of the surprise letter written by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to US President George W Bush.

In it, Mr Ahmadinejad criticises the US invasion of Iraq and urges Mr Bush to return to religious principles.

 

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has dismissed the letter, saying it contained nothing new.

 

The letter was issued as foreign ministers met in New York for talks on the Iranian nuclear crisis.

 

But after three hours, the ministers failed to agree on a unified position on how to tackle the problem of Iran's atomic programme.

 

Iraq 'lies'

 

The letter - thought to be the first from an Iranian president to a US leader since Iran's 1979 revolution - sparked intense interest, coming at a time of acutely tense relations between Washington and Tehran.

 

Why have the various aspects of the [9/11] attacks been kept secret?

 

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Iranian president

The 18-page document has not yet been made public, but according to leaks, Mr Ahmadinejad spoke of the invasion of Iraq, a US cover-up over the 11 September 2001 attacks, the issue of Israel's right to exist and the role of religion in the world.

 

"On the pretext of the existence of WMDs [weapons of mass destruction], this great tragedy [the US invasion of Iraq] came to engulf both the peoples of the occupied and the occupying country.

 

"Lies were told in the Iraqi matter," Reuters news agency quoted the letter as saying. "What was the result? I have no doubt that telling lies is reprehensible in any culture, and you do not like to be lied to," Mr Ahmadinejad is quoted as saying.

 

The president also questioned the creation of Israel, asking "how can this phenomenon be rationalised or explained?", Reuters reported.

 

HAVE YOUR SAY

Iran should let the UN get involved if they want nuclear power

 

 

 

 

Send us your comments

In an apparent allusion to Iran's nuclear programme, Mr Ahmadinejad is quoted by the Associated Press as asking: "Why is it that any technological and scientific achievement reached in the Middle East region is translated into and portrayed as a 'threat to the Zionist [israel] regime'? Is not scientific R&D [research and development] one of the basic rights of nations?"

 

In another part of the letter, Mr Ahmadinejad suggests Washington has concealed elements of the truth about the 11 September 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, Reuters reports.

 

"Why have the various aspects of the attacks been kept secret? Why are we not told who botched their responsibilities?" he asks.

 

The president ends the letter by appealing to Mr Bush to return to religion.

 

"We increasingly see that people around the world are flocking towards a main focal point - that is the Almighty God.

 

"My question for you is, 'Do you not want to join them?'"

 

Divisions exposed

 

Washington swiftly dismissed the letter as a ploy, saying it contributed nothing towards helping resolve the stand-off over Iran's nuclear programme.

 

 

The US is pushing for a decisive resolution

"This letter is not the place that one would find an opening to engage on the nuclear issue or anything of the sort," Ms Rice told AP.

 

"It isn't addressing the issues that we're dealing with in a concrete way."

 

Hours after the letter was sent, Ms Rice held an inconclusive meeting with her UN Security Council counterparts and the German foreign minister on what action to take over Iran.

 

BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says that far from drawing the key powers at the UN towards agreement on how to confront Iran, the meeting seems to have exposed the scale of division.

 

The UK's newly-appointed foreign minister, Margaret Beckett, acknowledged the meeting had been important but difficult.

 

She refused to repeat her predecessor Jack Straw's insistence that military action against Iran was inconceivable.

 

Mrs Beckett said she preferred to make clear that no-one was discussing military action. This language, our correspondent says, was far more welcome to the Americans.

 

After the meeting, an unnamed senior US state department official said prospects for an agreement this week on a UN Security Council resolution were "not substantially good".

 

However, the official said the US was "very satisfied and confident" at this stage.

 

Washington has pushed for any resolution to be adopted under the terms of Chapter Seven of the UN Charter.

 

These are binding on all UN members, but do not automatically lead to sanctions or military action. Further decisions would be needed for such measures.

 

But China and Russia have resisted such a move, fearing it could lead to a new war.

 

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4752831.stm

[ElPunto]

Originally posted by Castro:

about getting b!tch-slapped. Now, the Iranians have a couple of options: either withdraw from the retched NPT and give the UN Security Council and its blood-thirsty members (US, UK and France) the finger and risk getting bombed to the stone age (my choice) or they could stop this nuclear nonsense and keep their clandestine support for the "terrorist" organizations in the hope that the US will eventually cut its losses in Iraq and Afghanistan and run.

If there is military action - I doubt Iran will be bombed into the stone age - more likely strategic bombing of specific sites. Personally, I think that Iran has a slight edge in this whole matter - if they could keep themselves from making daily pronouncments/threats and writing love letters. All Iran has to do is keep going as is - the US however needs to muster international opinion to its side and then mobilize their countrymen and military for another assault on another middle-eastern country.

[Castro]

^ I agree with the slight edge to Iran. But it's only slight. Have you thought of this scenario: Israel strategically bombs Iran's nuclear facilities and in the process "accidentally" kills a few hundred Iranians. Iran retaliates by declaring war on Israel and shutting off the Hormuz strait and oil prices skyrocket. When the whole world feels the pinch of higher oil prices, the US will be seen as "justified" in bombing Iran and they will. This whole scenario could transpire before the November elections, you know.