Iran President Writes to American People

[voivod]

In an open letter, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad urged the American people Wednesday to demand the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and reject what he called the U.S. government's 'blind support' for Israel and its 'illegal and immoral' actions in fighting terrorism.

The letter to 'Noble Americans,' distributed by Iran's U.N. Mission, denounced President George W. Bush's policies in the Middle East and U.S. practices in the 'war on terror.' He appealed to the American people to work to reverse them and called on the Bush administration and the new Democratic-controlled Congress to heed the results of the recent midterm elections.

'Undoubtedly, the American people are not satisfied with this behavior and they showed their discontent in the recent elections,' Ahmadinejad wrote. 'I hope that in the wake of the mid-term elections, the administration of President Bush will have heard and will heed the message of the American people.'

In a message to Democrats, he said, 'you will also be held to account by the people and by history.'

'If the U.S. government meets the current domestic and external challenges with an approach based on truth and justice, it can remedy some of the past afflictions and alleviate some of the global resentment and hatred of America,' Ahmadinejad said.

'But if the approach remains the same, it would not be unexpected that the American people would similarly reject the new electoral winners, although the recent elections, rather than reflecting a victory, in reality point to the failure of the current administration's policies,' he warned.

Ahmadinejad wrote a rambling, 18-page letter to Bush in May, which Washington criticized for not addressing Iran's nuclear program _ where the U.S. is leading the drive to impose U.N. sanctions on Tehran for its refusal to stop enriching uranium.

Wednesday's letter made no mention of Iran's nuclear program.

Iranians in the street were disappointed by the cold response to the May letter because, while it did not make clear proposals, it was the first official communication between the two countries' presidents since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Earlier this month, Ahmadinejad said he was planning to write a letter to Americans.

In Wednesday's letter, he focused on past good relations between the U.S. and Iran and between their peoples who are both 'inclined towards the good, and toward extending a helping hand to one another, particularly to those in need,' and who deplore 'injustice, the trampling of peoples' rights and the intimidation and humiliation of human beings.'

Ahmadinejad has alienated many Americans by calling for Israel's destruction and repeatedly dismissing the Nazi Holocaust as a myth. He also strongly supports the Palestinian militant group Hamas and the Lebanese faction Hezbollah, which the U.S. State Department lists as terrorist organizations.

In Wednesday's letter, he said, 'we, like you, are aggrieved by the ever-worsening pain and misery of the Palestinian people' and accused the Bush administration of disregarding public opinion by remaining' in the forefront of supporting the trampling of the rights of the Palestinian people.'

'What has blind support for the Zionists by the U.S. administration brought for the American people?,' Ahmadinejad asked. 'It is regrettable that for the U.S. administration, the interests of these occupiers supersedes the interests of the American people and of the other nations of the world.'

He urged Americans to support the right of the Palestinians to live in their own homeland.

Twice this year, Iran has proposed talks with the United States over Iraq, but Ahmadinejad has said that for such negotiations to take place, Washington must change its behavior. On Sunday, he said Iran was ready to help the United States get out of the 'Iraqi quagmire if the U.S. changes its bullying policy toward Iran.'

Ahmadinejad said in Wednesday's letter that the U.S. invasion of Iraq, while overthrowing Saddam Hussein which people 'are happy about,' has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths, an exponential growthy of terrorism, and no rebuilding of Iraq's ruined infrastructure.

'I consider it extremely unlikely that you, the American people, consent to the billions of dollars of annual expenditure from your treasury for this military misadventure,' he said.

'Now that Iraq has a constitution and an independent assembly and government, would it not be more beneficial to bring the U.S. officers and soldiers home, and to spend the astronomical U.S. military expenditures in Iraq for the welfare and prosperity of the American people?,' Ahmadinejad asked. 'As you know very well, many victims of Katrina continue to suffer, and countless Americans continue to live in poverty and homelessness.'

Iran and the United States have had no diplomatic relations since 1979 when, after the revolution, militants seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and kept 52 people hostage for 444 days.

[Wray]

I didn't get that letter yet... then again, the Marine Corps postal service is a bit slow.

[artimusbill]

A murderous terrorist who hides behind religion doesn't like what we do, or how we go about it? Gosh, that is so unexpected. I wonder how much money he diverted from IED manufacturing to pay for this "outreach" to the American People?

[VanHalen2079]

I didn't get that letter yet... then again, the Marine Corps postal service is a bit slow.

I don't think its just the Marine Corp postal service, I think its all Armed Forces postal services because I definitely havent gotten my copy yet either.

[graeme]

Must have cost a fortune in paper, envelopes and stamps.
Do you think he hand wrote each one or just typed up one and used a printer/copier?
Lots of refills that way.
Also, do you think he did half of them in Spanish, half English?
How does he know where to send the letters for the Katrina refugees?
Did he give lesbians a stay of execution to lick the envelopes?
Did he use correct English to make Bush feel small?
Is it rude if we don't all reply?
The mind boggles.

[ZeoBandit]

I'll put my letter in the same place I put all my other junk mail.

[Red]

Luke, I am your father. Come with me to the table of peace, and we will stop the violence together.

[Down In Flames]

A-Meka-Leka-Hi-Meka-Hiney-Ho needs some takeout from that sushi bar in London.

Might I suggest...?

[jrk5150]

A murderous terrorist who hides behind religion doesn't like what we do, or how we go about it? Gosh, that is so unexpected. I wonder how much money he diverted from IED manufacturing to pay for this "outreach" to the American People?

I need to change my fucking screen name. Damn, hate seeing that and thinking it's referring to me. Gets me every time. Ugly.

[FORD]

A murderous terrorist who hides behind religion doesn't like what we do, or how we go about it?

Murderous terrorist? Whom has he killed, exactly?


Now, if you want to talk murderous terrorists who hide behind their religion.......



.....THIS terrorist bastard claimed that GOD told him to strike Iraq, and since doing so, he's killed some 650,000 Iraqi civillians. Not to mention nearly 3,000 Americans which he sent to that godforsaken shithole for no good reason.

And then there's the 2700 or so residents of New York City and a couple hundred at the Pentagon. Whatever the ultimate truth of that incident turns out to be, it's the terrorist Bush Criminal Empire who made it possible to one degree or another.

[seenbad]

Nice FORD. Really nice.

[Rebel67]

650,000??
FORD is this right? Where did you get these figures?
HOLY SHIT!!!

[Wray]

Not to mention nearly 3,000 Americans which he sent to that godforsaken shithole for no good reason.

They did so willingly and with pride.

[FORD]

They did so willingly and with pride.

Doesn't change the fact that they died for a LIE. Or that they went over there based on LIES. I remember reading that 70% of the troops over there actually believe that Saddam Hussein was involved in 9-11.

That means they were told that idea from the top down. And censored from hearing the truth. I know for a fact that the Pentagon censors very heavily what news sources are available to the troops, and only the most extreme far right Bush blowing media need apply. Because they also have been complicit in perpetuating these LIES.

[FORD]

Nice FORD. Really nice.

No, it's not nice at all. But it is the painful truth.