Denizen Opinion - Kat
In light of John's post below, I almost hesitated to put a link up here, but it seems that Ahmedinejad is determined to visit Ground Zero and get a photo op as Zalmay Khalizad said yesterday. They are organizing a protest or, in their words, protect Ground Zero from the number one terrorist.
NYPD originally refused the visit on the grounds of safety and security. Mainly, they said the construction at the site made it too dangerous for anyone to go in the pit and that Ahmedinejad would have to lay the wreath in the public area outside. They also sited "security". I'll let you guess what they believe the security concern is for this head of state. Could be ex-pat Iranians, ex-pat Iraqis or even some ticked off American. He's not a big favorite here.
Of course, the mayor of NY would be crazy to authorize that visit. According to the 9/11 report sited by Mark Levin, 9-10 of the hi-jackers passed through Iran on the way to Afghanistan in 2000 before they made it to the US and participated in the attack. Either Iran is not as secure as the Iranian government thinks it is, or the Iranian government was complicit. This is what is called, "plausible deniability".
In Iran, where the media are the official bullhorn of the government, 9/11 as an inside job (ie, the government killed 3000 of its own citizens) is rampant. Of course, this is coming from a country where the government does routinely swing by and snatch up and disappear the people who they believe are dangerous to their rule and routinely manufacturers situations, like the snatching of the British Sailors, to use as blackmail and stir the masses. Of course, the Jews, you know, have something to do with everything here according to the Ahmedinejad.
There is something creepy about Ahmedinejad wanting to visit Ground Zero. Aside from the photo op and propaganda, it feels like a serial killer who likes to keep mementos from his victims or continues to go back to the scene of the crime in order to re-live the thrill. I think that is what he and the Iranian Islamic Junta that he is staging (placing all his IRGC buds in high positions and giving the IRGC major control of government services sounds like a Junta to me) gets from this. Maybe a little satisfaction that they engineered it and never paid a price.
Ahmedinejad says that he wants peace with the United States. In the middle of a fight over Nuclear technology with sanctions squeezing their economy, inflation rampant, unemployment insane and workers who go for months not getting paid (yeah, that happens in Iraq but they are a war torn country), missiles passing through Syria getting blown up by the Israelis and Sarin filled scud missiles mysteriously exploding in Syria, killing 200, Iran and Syria's situation is very serious indeed and it looks like they are preparing for war. Particularly as their media routinely shows images of bogus fighter jets, alleged smart bombs and missiles that will travel 2000 km (any wonder France said they should prepare for war?)
Thus, Ahmedinejad's appeal for peace with the United States and laying a wreath at Ground Zero has all the appearance of the Japanese giving Friendship Medals right before Pearl Harbor.
If, by any chance, he does succeed in going to Ground Zero and laying a wreath, I hope someone preserves it for the sole purpose of returning it to him in the same manner we returned the Japanese Friendship Medals should this war begin.
As Clausewitz noted in "On War", the only reason that one side or the other asks for a truce during battle is to refit, re-organize and maneuver for advantage when they resume the battle.
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