On Wednesday, September 27, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came to New York with a 100 person entourage to address the world community, having just completed hosting a convocation of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Iran. These unaligned nations are those of the Muslim world which have not taken any of several sides in dealing with global issues.
Ahmadinejad’s speech came at a time when the world views attacks from either direction between Iran and Israel as eminently possible. There is speculation that the United States might come to the aid of Israel; there's speculation that a major world war might be initiated.
In spite of all this, the United States delegation to the UN General Assembly chose to follow its usual pattern: refusing to listen. As they have done in the past, the delegation arose and walked out. Apparently, the delegates felt that they already knew what the Iranian president, a wise global philosopher, would say. Having watched news broadcasts and listened to pundits, they felt certain he would lambast Israel and deny developing nuclear weapons, and they just weren’t up to it.
It is true that the Iranian might have said any number of things. For example, he might have used the opportunity to declare war on Israel, or on the world at large. More likely, he might have stressed a peaceful position that would reduce the ever-present possibility of a unilateral attack on his nation by Western powers.
The objective listener must concede that Ahmadinejad is a thoughtful person who speaks easily of peace, beauty, culture, and real world issues. In speaking he addressed his real concern for the future of the UN if that body doesn’t recognize a growing hegemony, and begin to change. That the United Nations should change in the face of the changing world was in fact, the thrust of his speech.
Following prayers and greetings, he defined the assembly as a gathering to ponder, and to work together, to build a better life for the human community, and for all nations. "Iran is the land of glory, beauty, knowledge, culture, wisdom. It is the cradle of philosophy and mysticism; land of compassion and light. It is the land of scientists, scholars, philosophers; masters of literature, and writers..." He spoke of bitter times past, and said Iran welcomes any effort to promote peace, stability and tranquility, which “Can be only realized through harmony, cooperation and joint management of the world.”
Article comments
1 - Clav
John,
Perhaps your intolerance of the delegation who walked out on Ahmadinejad would be better directed at their bosses who gave them the orders to walk out: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Barack H. Obama.
I doubt the US delegation has the authority to take it upon themselves to walk out on a speaker; if they do so, they are following orders.
2 - John Lake
That may be a possibility, Clav, but seems inconsistent with the Obama policies and promises. It would be hard not to see a similarity with the tactics of the GWB White House, wherein we declined to discuss issues for fear of granting “terrorist nations” validity.
3 - Clav
I see your point about inconsistency, John, and it does appear to be inconsistent with Obama's past focus on appeasement in the Middle East. Nonetheless, unless Obama is losing control of his administration, presidents tend to tightly control their delegations to world organizations; they do not usually give them any significant free rein, certainly not to the extent of being able to walk out absent instructions. The members of these delegations are appointed by the WH; even the name given the group, delegation, derives from delegate, "to send or appoint (a person) as deputy or representative."
4 - Deciet of iran
It is my personal belief that Clav got the last word on john.
5 - Arie Berman
Any liar can make beautiful speeches. The issue is trust.
6 - John Lake
Ms. Susan Rice heads the delegation (Mission); hers is a cabinet level official. There is no indication to be found as to who gave the word for the walkout; perhaps Rice (no relation to Condoleezza), perhaps a group vote. But again it seems inconsistent with Barack Obama's general position..
7 - Fred Mcmurray
Dear Arie Berman...by "any liar" surely you must be referring to the Israelis and at minimum the previous US administrations re WMD etc etc etc etc infinitum. The Iranian President may be a "liar" but so far we have yet to "catch him in the act" as we have done with those other guys mentioned and so then speculation is all we can objectively lay on him. To me John Lake is being very objective and that's how we should all be. We need to stop being sheep.
8 - John Lake
In an odd turn of events, Susan Rice, America’s Ambassador to the United Nations has been asked to step down from that post. The reasons given for the request seem unrelated to the walk out on Ahmadinejad as he spoke to the General Assembly. There is sure to be more news on this issue.
9 - Arie Berman
@Fred Macmurray: Surely I mean Ahmadinejad, certainly not Israel.
My bias: Iranian actions and instigations are not consistent with the "peace and love, and freedom" message of the speech.
John Lake's bias: "... a wise global philosopher... his real concern for the future of the UN... intolerant of an American delegation which walks out on an important speech from a highly lucid speaker."
10 - Clav
@#8:
Do you mean she's been fired?
It probably has to do with her uninformed and naive remarks to the press following the assassination in Benghazi of Ambassador Stevens. It looks like the administration is trying to distance itself from the clueless statements regarding the Benghazi attacks made by Rice and others.
11 - John Lake
Just a coincidence that the call for her removal comes one day after the Oh, so last decade walkout.
There was speculation from every pundit with an opinion as to the cause of the planned or spontaneous rioting.
12 - Clav
Yes there was, John; including from me.
It wasn't rioting. It wasn't spontaneous. And it definitely wasn't in response to the silly film clip.
A shame that Ambassador Stevens had to pay the ultimate price for the ineptitude and leadership void in Washington.
13 - Igor
I can't find a news report that Rice was fired, or that she stepped down under duress.
14 - Clav
Igor,
I don't know what happened to it, but I posted an acknowledgement on this thread yesterday, in which I conceded that to date, the administration has neither fired nor asked Rice to step down.