September 25, 2007 at 10:41:24

Weathering Ahmadinejad's Ideological Assault on New York

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By Ron Fullwood (about the author) Page 2 of 2 page(s)

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And Ahmadinejad and the spiritual leadership in Iran aren't alone in using religion as justification for their aggression, posturing, and oppression. Bush, himself has said repeatedly that he believes he was ordained by God to carry out his militarism. "I trust God speaks through me," Bush explained in 2004. "Without that, I couldn't do my job," he said.

More important, Bush wants us to know that the "liberty" he's spreading with his invasion and occupations in the Mideast isn't merely the undoing and demise of anyone in the way of his military advance into their territory, but is actually "God's gift to humanity."

"God is not on the side of any nation, yet we know He is on the side of justice," Bush told Time in 2004. "Our finest moments as a nation have come when we faithfully served the cause of justice for our own citizens, and for the people of other lands," he asserted.

If Ahmadinejad had a moment of exhilaration and grandeur right before he entered Columbia University's hall he can be excused for imagining that he was on the verge of winning some contest and receiving some prize for his bold attempt to indoctrinate a crowd which wasn't hostage to the manipulations he uses at home to get attention and agreement. To those looking on outside the U.S., Americans must appear fairly tolerant of Bush and his aggressions abroad.

Since the day he assumed power in Iran, Ahmadinejad has been elevated by the insistence of Bush in waging what he often calls his "ideological struggle" against 'enemies' who threaten his ambition to dominate the rest of the world by the force of our military. Without Bush's occupation of Iraq, there would be no 'threat' to the U.S. from Iran. Without Bush's insistence on waging his "ideological" war, there would be nothing to amplify the nonsense from Ahmadinejad; which, by the way, college students at Columbia were able to just shrug off as lacking of knowledge or merit when he offered it to them.

"When you come to a place like this it makes you simply ridiculous," Columbia president Lee Bollinger told him.

And who didn't think of our own country's "petty and cruel dictator," when Bollinger scolded the Iranian president before he spoke? Or reflected on our own police-state as Ahmadinejad spoke of governments which "tap telephones." It was fortunate though, that Columbia University was there to uphold our country's end of Bush's ideological argument that supposes support for 'freedoms' he'd impose on the rest of the world.

In the proper forum for any "ideological" battle -- a discussion, instead of a bloody, destabilizing invasion and occupation -- Ahmadinejad gave as good as he's got, without a ripple of the unrest, chaos, and destruction that Bush has caused waging his own in Iraq. New Yorkers confronted the Iranian without a shot fired. Now, just what was all that saber-rattling about again?

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Ron Fullwood, is an activist from Columbia, Md. and the author of the book 'Power of Mischief' : Military Industry Executives are Making Bush Policy and the Country is Paying the Price

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