Ahmadinejad to Bush: WWJD? He'd convert to Islam!
Since our head-in-the-sand media have had such a hard time deciphering just what Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was trying to say in his letter to President Bush, the official Iranian new agency has cleared it up for us:
President says his letter to President Bush
was invitation to Islam
When I read the translation of the letter provided by the Iranian government, it seemed pretty obvious that was the gist of it, but reporters for western media outlets have too much invested in their vision of Islam as a benign entity to let the public know that powerful Islamists like Ahmadinejad really do think it plausible that they might absorb the entire world into their cult, George Bush included. Ahmadinejad writes in his letter:
He even had the nerve to throw in a Koranic Jesus quote suggesting that even Bush's personal savior would want him to drop the cross for the crescent.
This all fits pretty well with the world view Ahmadinejad has expressed in the past. In an interview back in January, he stated: "There should be no doubt that the teachings of Islam should be heard by all ... Undoubtedly, if the truths about Islam are taught correctly, most people will accept Islam." If you just can't get enough of his lunatic's blather from the mainstream media, he's got his own website, complete with speeches and interviews and gems like this: "The president stressed that Islam was the only religion being capable of materializing all rights of women in the full scale." The website even created this hilarious Photoshop job to go with the text of his letter to Bush:
Bear in mind that the headline "President says his letter to President Bush was invitation to Islam" comes from Iran's official, state-run news organization, so the possibility they're misreading their boss's intent is pretty slim. It's odd how so many other reporters (who apparently attended the same press conference) came away with a much different--and suicidally misleading--impression. Here are some of the headlines our own news sources came up with:
Iran's President Says Letter to Bush Was to Open `New Horizon' (Bloomberg)
Is Iran Trying to Send a Signal? (CBS News)
Iranian president's letter opens window onto Muslim world (Star Tribune)
Letter Offers a Look Into Mind of Iran's Leader (L.A. Times)
The New York Sun went one better than calling the letter an invitation to Islam, noting that the untranslated last line of the letter contains an outright threat. The Sun's editorial on the subject was titled: Iran Declares War. Here's an excerpt:
Amir Taheri has done a fascinating essay putting Ahmadinejad's letter in historical context. Apparently he's following a well-established Islamic tradition. Not only did Mohammed himself send such letters to leaders of neighboring peoples he planned to put under the sword, Ayatollah Khomeini wrote a letter to Mikhail Gorbachev in 1989 (not 1987, as Taheri states) asking him to convert to Islam. I guess the surprising thing is that it took so long for the Islamists to get around to sending Bush his invitation. Maybe they just weren't sure they really want him in their club.
President says his letter to President Bush
was invitation to Islam
Jakarta, May 11, IRNA
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Thursday that his letter to President George W. Bush did not concern the nuclear dossier, but rather was an invitation to Islam and the prophets [sic] culture.
When I read the translation of the letter provided by the Iranian government, it seemed pretty obvious that was the gist of it, but reporters for western media outlets have too much invested in their vision of Islam as a benign entity to let the public know that powerful Islamists like Ahmadinejad really do think it plausible that they might absorb the entire world into their cult, George Bush included. Ahmadinejad writes in his letter:
The Holy Koran stresses this common word and calls on all followers of divine religions and says: [3.64] Say: O followers of the Book! Come to an equitable proposition between us and you that we shall not serve any but Allah and (that) we shall not associate aught with Him, and (that) some of us shall not take others for lords besides Allah; but if they turn back, then say: Bear witness that we are Muslims ...
He even had the nerve to throw in a Koranic Jesus quote suggesting that even Bush's personal savior would want him to drop the cross for the crescent.
We also believe that Jesus Christ (PBUH) was one of the great prophets of the Almighty. He has been repeatedly praised in the Koran. Jesus (PBUH) has been quoted in Koran as well: [19.36] And surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serve Him; this is the right path.
This all fits pretty well with the world view Ahmadinejad has expressed in the past. In an interview back in January, he stated: "There should be no doubt that the teachings of Islam should be heard by all ... Undoubtedly, if the truths about Islam are taught correctly, most people will accept Islam." If you just can't get enough of his lunatic's blather from the mainstream media, he's got his own website, complete with speeches and interviews and gems like this: "The president stressed that Islam was the only religion being capable of materializing all rights of women in the full scale." The website even created this hilarious Photoshop job to go with the text of his letter to Bush:
Bear in mind that the headline "President says his letter to President Bush was invitation to Islam" comes from Iran's official, state-run news organization, so the possibility they're misreading their boss's intent is pretty slim. It's odd how so many other reporters (who apparently attended the same press conference) came away with a much different--and suicidally misleading--impression. Here are some of the headlines our own news sources came up with:
Iran's President Says Letter to Bush Was to Open `New Horizon' (Bloomberg)
Is Iran Trying to Send a Signal? (CBS News)
Iranian president's letter opens window onto Muslim world (Star Tribune)
Letter Offers a Look Into Mind of Iran's Leader (L.A. Times)
The New York Sun went one better than calling the letter an invitation to Islam, noting that the untranslated last line of the letter contains an outright threat. The Sun's editorial on the subject was titled: Iran Declares War. Here's an excerpt:
The key sentence in the letter is the closing salutation. In an eight-page text of the letter being circulated by the Council on Foreign Relations, it is left untranslated and rendered as "Vasalam Ala Man Ataba'al hoda." What this means is "Peace only unto those who follow the true path."
Amir Taheri has done a fascinating essay putting Ahmadinejad's letter in historical context. Apparently he's following a well-established Islamic tradition. Not only did Mohammed himself send such letters to leaders of neighboring peoples he planned to put under the sword, Ayatollah Khomeini wrote a letter to Mikhail Gorbachev in 1989 (not 1987, as Taheri states) asking him to convert to Islam. I guess the surprising thing is that it took so long for the Islamists to get around to sending Bush his invitation. Maybe they just weren't sure they really want him in their club.
posted by tompain at 12:51 AM
2 Comments:
I've got this image in my head of a young version of Bush pouting outside a clubhouse with a sign that says "No westerners allowed".
I believe 99% of christians (little chirst) do not understand the very real situation we are about to face. We need to compare what is writtem in the koran and what is taking place.
We need to understand who is planning on attacking us.
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