On Ahmadinejad, Israel, and Getting a Clue

So, is Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad engaging in macho hyperbole, or is he telling us exactly what he plans?

2005 "World Without Zionism" Conference (October 26, 2005:

"Our dear Imam (referring to Ayatollah Khomeini) said that the occupying regime must be wiped off the map and this was a very wise statement. We cannot compromise over the issue of Palestine. Is it possible to create a new front in the heart of an old front. This would be a defeat and whoever accepts the legitimacy of this regime has in fact, signed the defeat of the Islamic world. Our dear Imam targeted the heart of the world oppressor in his struggle, meaning the occupying regime. I have no doubt that the new wave that has started in Palestine, and we witness it in the Islamic world too, will eliminate this disgraceful stain from the Islamic world" (Week in Review - The New York Times, 10/30/2005).

"Some European countries insist on saying that during World War II, Hitler burned millions of Jews and put them in concentration camps... Any historian, commentator or scientist who doubts that is taken to prison or gets condemned. Although we don't accept this claim, if we suppose it is true, if the Europeans are honest they should give some of their provinces in Europe — like in Germany, Austria or other countries — to the Zionists and the Zionists can establish their state in Europe. You offer part of Europe and we will support it" (BBC, Reuters, Forbes, 12/08/2005).

"They [Israel] have invented a myth that Jews were massacred [The Holocaust] and place this above God, religions and the prophets. The West has given more significance to the myth of the genocide of the Jews, even more significant than God, religion, and the prophets, (it) deals very severely with those who deny this myth but does not do anything to those who deny God, religion, and the prophet. If you have burned the Jews, why don't you give a piece of Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska to Israel? Our question is, if you have committed this huge crime, why should the innocent nation of Palestine pay for this crime?" (CNN.com, 12/14/2005).

"Now, in the West, insulting the prophet is allowed, but questioning the Holocaust is considered a crime. We ask, why do you insult the prophet? The response is that it is a matter of freedom, while in fact, they are hostages of the Zionists" (Payvand.com, 02/06/2006).

"Israel can ultimately not continue its existence...Anti-Semitism in Europe has forced Jews to leave their countries of origin, but what they did instead was occupy a country which is not theirs but that of Palestinians...We are sorry for any human being killed in the two world wars. We respect Moses as we respect Jesus, but it is just unacceptable that the Palestinians should suffer from the aftermath" (Expactica, 04/24/2006).

"Israel must be wiped off the map" (oft repeated - WPRI/Fox Providence; NY Times 06/04/2006; Reuters 05/21/2006).

"Hitler sought pretexts to attack other nations...The Zionist regime is seeking baseless pretexts to invade Islamic countries and right now it is justifying its attacks with groundless excuses" (Alertnet.org, 07/15/2006).

"Although the main solution is for the elimination of the Zionist regime, at this stage an immediate cease-fire must be implemented...The Zionist regime is used to reach this objective [as a US proxy]. The sole existence of this regime is for invasion and attack."" (Counterpunch, 08/28/2006).

"Those who think they can revive the stinking corpse of the usurping and fake Israeli regime by throwing a birthday party are seriously mistaken. Today the reason for the Zionist regime's existence is questioned, and this regime is on its way to annihilation... [Israel] "has reached the end like a dead rat after being slapped by the Lebanese" (Yahoo, Times Online, 05/08/2008).

"The Zionist regime is dying...The criminals imagine that by holding celebrations ... they can save the Zionist regime from death....They should know that regional nations hate this fake and criminal regime and if the smallest and briefest chance is given to regional nations they will destroy [it]" (Yahoo, 05/14/2008).

The last time a world "leader" spelled out his plans so clearly was in in a book entitled Mein Kampf. There are many in the West with the same Neville Chamberlain mentality. They believe we can go back to the "September 10th" mindset. They believe we can "talk" to people like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. And I'm quite sure ole' Mahmoud will do nothing to dissuade their folly -- right up until the moment our cities start to vaporize.