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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Statements

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

I am a strong supporter and admirer of Ahmedinejad and his principles. He may not be the most diplomatic at times but I agree with his principles.

A cursory reading on this forum shows a not too favourable opinion so I started a thread dedicated to his statements.

Issues may be but no limited to statements about the elimination of the zionist regime, Holocaust, nuclear energy and any other recorded statement anyone has issue with. It would be useful if people provided a source when quoting him.

Statements Ahmadinejad Mahmoud

Well, I definitly do not admire neither support him or his statements and I personally do not think it is because he may not be diplomatic (I am far from it too) but the fact that he usually gives sharp statements yet he always end up trying to say he is being misunderstood. I personally do not think it is true, I think he means every word that comes out from his mouth...there may be a mistake here or there due to translations but the "meat" of what he tries to say remains intact.

Having grew up in Argentina, we have the largest percentage of Jews in South America, the topic of the Holocaust touches me closely. Not only I had friends who are Jews but also I have met a couple of Holocaust survivors so the topic has been always in my mind.

Ahmedinejad's statements about the Holocaust (or may I say the erroneous and twisted thought that it never occurred) causes me great anger...because I personally heard the stories from survivors, I met Emily Schindler (wife of Oscar Schindler who saved 1,200 Jews from being killed) and there is historical evidence that it did exist. The survivors we have today from those concentration camps and their numbers on their hands are the proof itself. But how can a man even hint that it never occurred? What kind of man really does that? Here some statements:

According to the Iran's official news agency:

https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/...1214-irna02.htm

https://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/12...rael/index.html

Please (and with all respect)do not say this is a Media propaganda. I can find tons of articles like this where he gives this type of statements.

I have no respect whatsoever for this man.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Statements History & Civil Business Politics

OK lets deal with Ahmadinejads supposed Holocaust denial.
You quoted an excerpt from a speech given in Zahedan on 14 Dec. 2005.
Lets compare the rendering of key phrases.

CNN

CNN

https://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/12...rael/index.html
IRNA

https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/...1214-irna02.htm
Guardian

https://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,1667355,00.html

They do not sound the same do they? CNN seems to be suggesting he is saying that the massacre or genocide of jews is a "myth". The others claim that there is a "myth" associated with the holocaust. Note that saying there is a "myth in the name of holocaust" or "myth on holocaust" is very different to suggesting that the holocaust never happened.

It should be made clear that Ahmadinejad doesn't deny the historical reality of concentration camps set up for minorities including Jews. He in the same speech accuses the west of being responsible and as a consequence should pay the price.

https://www.memritv.org/Transcript.asp?P1=963

So a key question to ask is what exactly is this "myth" that he associated with the holocaust?

Firstly the persian word which is translated into myth is افسانة. In my experience it is normally used for romantic tales or historical legends which may be based on truth but have acquired a popular moral or cultural importance. It isn't a word used to deny things.

In an interview with NBCs Brian Williams Sept. 20, 2006 when asked why he called the holocaust a myth he replied with that there were indeed Jews killed in the 2nd World War but there are 3 issues.

https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14912050/
In conclusion:
Ahmadinejad does NOT deny the historical reality of the holocaust. He DOES question certain aspects of it such as why it has been monopolized to justify the establishment of the zionist regime at the expense of the Palestinian people.

Statements Ahmadinejad Mahmoud

Okat, let's suppose he did not directly denied (which I am convinced he does) Based on the quotes you provided it is clear he puts in DOUBT its existence when he says:

What the heck he means by "if this event happened". Isn't the Iranian leader aware that 10 million people were tortured, starved and killed in the most cruel manner? Isn't he aware of the many documents, pictures and historical evidence that proves this horrendous fact? Isn't he an "educated" man to know these things? If he is, why does he says "if this event happened". As far as I am concerned, someone does NOT have to directly deny its existence, but when someone who is supposed to be the leader of a country puts in doubt one of the most saddest events in the history of the world, he is indeed denying it...and not only that but disrespecting the victims of the Holocaust and their families.

So in essence, as I said previously a couple of words may or may not have been translated properly but the *meat* on what he is trying to say remains intact.

Statements Ahmadinejad Mahmoud

Do you have evidence he DIRECTLY denies the holocaust? If not can we agree he doesn't instead of supposing?

اكر (Agar) is the Persian word for "if". Unfortunately if you don't speak Persian then the words "if this happened" can seem to be expressing doubt. اكر (Agar) can be used rhetorically in inquisitive sentences. My mother for example always uses the same word when she asks me why I am not working hard "If (agar) you are a medical student why don't I see you working hard?" This doesn't imply that she is indirectly claiming I am not a medical student because it is obvious that I am!

Similarly it is obvious that a number of Jews were killed in concentration camps or otherwise by the Nazi regime during the course of World War 2. Ahmadinejad using the phrases "if the holocaust happened" doesn't express doubt it simply raises questions about issues that need to be answered.

This is VERY clear from his statements.

Why does Ahmadinejad keep bringing up this holocaust issue? It isn't to say that it NEVER happened what does he have to gain from that? Rather it is to question why the holocaust has been used as a pretext for the establishment of the state of Israel.

Now I have a question which I want answering. If the holocaust is real. Why is it illegal to question? Why is it OK to commit blasphemy, insult Prophets and God but its not OK to question issues related to the Holocaust?

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Statements

His star-studded cast of "if-er's" had a significant contingency of people that flat out deny that there were anywhere near the historical record of Jews killed during the war and that there were no concerted efforts by the Germans to kill Jews preferentially. Since you proclaim that he does not deny the Holocast, why are these ideas required at the "what if convention"? Actually, to phrase it a different way, what is it that the millions of dead Jews from WWII need to prove to Ahmedinejad? Why is it that the peoples that did this to the Jews have come clean and admitted the wrongness of what was done, but it does not seem to satisfy him? His harmless "if" doesn't come across as being so harmless with these participants... It doesn't take a genius to see that. So either he is guilty of picking a bad guest list or he has a rather dubious agenda. That message comes across loud and clear as it never had to be said so there is no translational issues.

I can answer most of these questions.

Ahmedinejad is clever. Much like the way a lawyer tries to break down a case piece by piece, this is what he is trying to do on a international scale with the creation of the State of Israel. Basically, the thought is that since there was a Holocast, the Jews were granted the state of Israel as some sort of world wide debt of remorse. If I deny the viability of the Holocast, then the viability of the Jewish state is fair game as well. However, we really can't go around having a convention on doing away with the Jewish state can we? In actuality, I see nothing clear about almost anything Ahmedinejad says. He is constantly talking with intentional vagueness, so that you cannot pin him down. Even your quote shows nothing of the if's...it is always the questions...what ARE the questions. The listing of quotes on myths is nothing more than semantics. It is a kin to Bill Clinton's asking about the definition of "is".

As for your questions, sure you can discuss the Holocast, because like you said it did happen. You can talk about it and review the numbers attributed to it if you like, as long as you still acknowlegde its existance. The key is acknowledging that it happened and then you can question. The evasive term of "what if" is not acknowledgement and will garner a negative response. However, this will not satisfy the desires of Mr Ahmedinejad's agenda and that is to discuss why Israel was created because that is what he really wants to open up.

I think that Theo Van Gogh might have a bone to pick with your last statement, if he were still breathing.

Rather off topic, but... If he really believes that the Holocast alone created the Israeli state, then he should do some studying of the British Mandate of Palestine, the UN Partician Plan and the Balfour Declaration of 1917. It provide a bit of enlightened reading. In addition, I would ask "If the Palestinians and neighboring Arab states had succeeded in wining the war that was held immediately after the UN Partion went into effect, would there be any european Jews left?". The British did an incredibly sloppy job of handling the termination of the Mandate of Palestine that to this day its effects are still seen and the UN didn't spring into action until the damage had been done.

Edited: Vincenzo on 30th Apr, 2007 - 8:46am

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Statements

1) You are not speaking Persian, you are speaking English. Why are you saying then "If the Holocaust is real". Why are you putting the "if" into the question just as Ahmedinejads does?

2) Illegal to question, to question what? It's existence? The creation of the State of Israel? What do you mean?

3) What are the specific questions/issues related to the Holocaust you say it is not ok to question?

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Statements Politics Business Civil & History

As I sometimes live in my own world - I found this on the BBC news - thought it might help others who would like to join in the discussion. Based on this articule alone Mr Ahmadinejad does not seem to be very likable. To say that a country should be "wiped off the map" is not encouraging any type of peace talks or lets try to get along. Not a person I would want holding nuclear weapons.

Message Edited... Edited by LDS_forever: Please use quote tags when appropriate. Also even though you stated that the information was taken from BBC News, it would be important next time you can also provide a link for verification purposes. Thanks.