лекція
Iran president's letter to the U.S.
Message of H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
To the American People
MSNBC
1:18 p.m. ET Nov 29, 2006
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15952309/
We, like you, are aggrieved by the ever-worsening pain and misery
of the Palestinian people. Persistent aggressions by the Zionists
are making life more 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 subjecting their families
to endless grief.
No day goes by without a new crime.
Palestinian mothers, just like Iranian and American mothers,
love their children, and are painfully bereaved by the imprisonment,
wounding and murder of their children. What mother wouldn't?
For 60 years, the Zionist regime has driven millions of the inhabitants
of Palestine out of their homes. Many of these refugees have died
in the Diaspora and in refugee camps. Their children have spent
their youth in these camps and are aging while still in the hope
of returning to homeland.
You know well that the US administration has persistently provided
blind and blanket support to the Zionist regime, has emboldened
it to continue its crimes, and has prevented the UN Security Council
from condemning it.
What has blind support for the Zionists by the US administration
brought for the American people? It is regrettable that for the
US administration, the interests of these occupiers supersedes
the interests of the American people and of the other nations
of the world.
What have the Zionists done for the American people that the
US administration considers itself obliged to blindly support
these infamous aggressors? Is it not because they have imposed
themselves on a substantial portion of the banking, financial,
cultural and media sectors?
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
O, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity the perfect human being
promised to all by You, and make us among his followers.
Noble Americans,
Were we not faced with the activities of the US administration
in this part of the world and the negative ramifications of those
activities on the daily lives of our peoples, coupled with the
many wars and calamities caused by the US administration as well
as the tragic consequences of US interference in other countries;
Were the American people not God-fearing, truth-loving, and justice-seeking,
while the US administration actively conceals the truth and impedes
any objective portrayal of current realities;
And if we did not share a common responsibility to promote and
protect freedom 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
geographically far apart, we should be cognizant that human values
and our common human spirit, which proclaim the dignity and exalted
worth of all human beings, have brought our two great nations
of Iran and the United States closer together.
Both our nations are God-fearing, truth-loving and justice-seeking,
and both seek dignity, respect and perfection.
Both greatly value and readily embrace the promotion of human
ideals such as compassion, empathy, respect for the rights of
human beings, securing justice and equity, and defending the innocent
and the weak against oppressors and bullies.
We are all inclined towards the good, and towards extending a
helping hand to one another, particularly to those in need.
We all deplore injustice, the trampling of peoples' rights and
the intimidation and humiliation of human beings.
We all detest darkness, deceit, lies and distortion, and seek
and admire salvation, enlightenment, sincerity and honesty.
The pure human essence of the two great nations of Iran and the
United States testify to the veracity of these statements.
Noble Americans,
Our nation has always extended its hand of friendship to all
other nations of the world.
Hundreds of thousands of my Iranian compatriots are living amongst
you in friendship and peace, and are contributing positively to
your society. Our people have been in contact with you over the
past many years and have maintained these contacts despite the
unnecessary restrictions of US authorities.
As mentioned, we have common concerns, face similar challenges,
and are pained by the sufferings and afflictions in the world.
We, like you, are aggrieved by the ever-worsening pain and misery
of the Palestinian people. Persistent aggressions by the Zionists
are making life more 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 subjecting their families
to endless grief.
No day goes by without a new crime.
Palestinian mothers, just like Iranian and American mothers,
love their children, and are painfully bereaved by the imprisonment,
wounding and murder of their children. What mother wouldn't?
For 60 years, the Zionist regime has driven millions of the inhabitants
of Palestine out of their homes. Many of these refugees have died
in the Diaspora and in refugee camps. Their children have spent
their youth in these camps and are aging while still in the hope
of returning to homeland.
You know well that the US administration has persistently provided
blind and blanket support to the Zionist regime, has emboldened
it to continue its crimes, and has prevented the UN Security Council
from condemning it.
Who can deny such broken promises and grave injustices towards
humanity by the US administration?
Governments are there to serve their own people. No people wants
to side with or support any oppressors. But regrettably, the US
administration disregards even its own public opinion and remains
in the forefront of supporting the trampling of the rights of
the Palestinian people.
Let's take a look at Iraq. Since the commencement of the US military
presence in Iraq, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed,
maimed or displaced. Terrorism in Iraq has grown exponentially.
With the presence of the US military in Iraq, nothing has been
done to rebuild the ruins, to restore the infrastructure or to
alleviate poverty. The US Government used the pretext of the existence
of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but later it became clear
that that was just a lie and a deception.
Although Saddam was overthrown and people are happy about his
departure, the pain and suffering of the Iraqi people has persisted
and has even been aggravated.
In Iraq, about one hundred and fifty thousand American soldiers,
separated from their families and loved ones, are operating under
the command of the current US administration. A substantial number
of them have been killed or wounded and their presence in Iraq
has tarnished the image of the American people and government.
Their mothers and relatives have, on numerous occasions, displayed
their discontent with the presence of their sons and daughters
in a land thousands of miles away from US shores. American soldiers
often wonder why they have been sent to Iraq.
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.
Noble Americans,
You have heard that the US administration is kidnapping its presumed
opponents from across the globe and arbitrarily holding them without
trial or any international supervision in horrendous prisons that
it has established in various parts of the world. God knows who
these detainees actually are, and what terrible fate awaits them.
You have certainly heard the sad stories of the Guantanamo and
Abu-Ghraib prisons. The US administration attempts to justify
them through its proclaimed "war on terror." But every
one knows that such behavior, in fact, offends global public opinion,
exacerbates resentment and thereby spreads terrorism, and tarnishes
the US image and its credibility among nations.
The US administration's illegal and immoral behavior is not even
confined to outside its borders. You are witnessing daily that
under the pretext of "the war on terror," civil liberties
in the United States are being increasingly curtailed. Even the
privacy of individuals is fast losing its meaning. Judicial due
process and fundamental rights are trampled upon. Private phones
are tapped, suspects are arbitrarily arrested, sometimes beaten
in the streets, or even shot to death.
I have no doubt that the American people do not approve of this
behavior and indeed deplore it.
The US administration does not accept accountability before any
organization, institution or council. The US administration has
undermined the credibility of international organizations, particularly
the United Nations and its Security Council. But, I do not intend
to address all the challenges and calamities in this message.
The legitimacy, power and influence of a government do not emanate
from its arsenals of tanks, fighter aircrafts, missiles or nuclear
weapons. Legitimacy and influence reside in sound logic, quest
for justice and compassion and empathy for all humanity. The global
position of the United States is in all probability weakened because
the administration has continued to resort to force, to conceal
the truth, and to mislead the American people about its policies
and practices.
Undoubtedly, the American people are not satisfied with this
behavior and they showed their discontent in the recent elections.
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.
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 commitment to justice and respect for the rights of
all nations, instead of aggression and war?
We all condemn terrorism, because its victims are the innocent.
But, can terrorism be contained and eradicated through war, destruction
and the 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 for the American people? It is regrettable that for the
US administration, the interests of these occupiers supersedes
the interests of the American people and of the other nations
of the world.
What have the Zionists done for the American people that the
US administration considers itself obliged to blindly support
these infamous aggressors? Is it not because they have imposed
themselves on a substantial portion of the banking, financial,
cultural and media sectors?
I recommend that in a demonstration of respect for the American
people and for humanity, the right of Palestinians to live in
their own homeland should be recognized so that millions of Palestinian
refugees can return to their homes and the future of all of Palestine
and its form of government be determined 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 the welfare and prosperity of the American
people? As you know very well, many victims of Katrina continue
to suffer, and countless Americans continue to live in poverty
and homelessness.
I'd also like to say a word to the winners of the recent elections
in the US:
The United States has had many administrations; some who have
left a positive legacy, and others that are neither remembered
fondly by the American people nor by other nations.
Now that you control an important branch of the US Government,
you will also be held to account by the people and by history.
If the US 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. 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.
These issues had been extensively dealt with in my letter to President
Bush earlier this year.
To sum up:
It is possible to govern based on an approach that is distinctly
different from one of coercion, force and injustice.
It is possible to sincerely serve and promote common human values,
and honesty 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 adhering to unity, monotheism, morality and spirituality and
drawing upon the teachings of the Divine Prophets.
Then, the American people, who are God-fearing and followers
of Divine religions, 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
role in the establishment of justice and spirituality throughout
the world. The promises of the Almighty and His prophets will
certainly be realized, Justice and Truth will prevail and all
nations will live a true life in a climate replete with love,
compassion and fraternity.
The US governing establishment, the authorities and the powerful
should not choose irreversible paths. As all prophets have taught
us, injustice and transgression will eventually bring about decline
and demise. Today, the path 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. Your Lord, alone, creates and chooses as He will, and
others have no part in His choice; Glorified is God and Exalted
above any partners they ascribe to Him." (28:67-68)
I pray to the Almighty to bless the Iranian and American nations
and indeed all nations of the world with dignity and success.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
