Iran president sees "countdown" to Israel's end

[Mr.Vicchio]

Article | Reuters

Iran's president said on Sunday the Lebanese and the Palestinians had pressed a "countdown button" to bring an end to Israel. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who triggered outrage in the West two years ago when he said Israel should be "wiped off the map", has often referred to the destruction of the Jewish state but says Iran is not a threat. "With God's help, the countdown button for the destruction of the Zionist regime has been pushed by the hands of the children of Lebanon and Palestine," Ahmadinejad said in a speech. "By God's will, we will witness the destruction of this regime in the near future," he said. He did not elaborate.

You think Israel should be worried? Shouldn't we all?

[Epistemologist]

By "all" do you means Westerners?

[xyzer]

If this madman is still around when Iran develops nukes and long range delivery technology, the term 'all' fits. All includes any non Muslim countries and people, plus any who don't adhere to what the madman wants.
The only reason we take such demagogues seriously is when their weaponry exceeds or equals ours..He is working on it. Actually if he keeps it up and really looks threatening I think Israel, which already has the capability, will take him and a large chunk of Iran out!

[Mr.Vicchio]

Quote by: Epistemologist By "all" do you means Westerners?

I was referring to the free world as a whole,but I guess that would mean the west.

[Epistemologist]

Quote by: Mr.Vicchio I was referring to the free world as a whole,but I guess that would mean the west.

What's "free" mean anyway?

As for thinking of Ahmadinejad as a madman, I suppose the same could be said of many of his enemies. Gone mad in their nationalism, perhaps? Or is that even madness? Perhaps one is mad only if he/she is your opponent.

[megadeth425]

Judging by how things are going, Iran will have to worry more about the US than a "Zionist regime".

[Jubloz]

It sounds like the president is indirectly asking the people around him to take action, while giving himself a safeguard; he now has the argument of, "I never told them to do this, I just said that it would happen." Disgusting, but intelligent nonetheless. :(

[Mr.Vicchio]

Ahh relativism, it's so fresh and uninspiring.

The guy is a mad man. And Israel can and should glass Tehran if things go south.

[Setnakt]

To my understanding the phrase "wiped off the map" does not exist in the Persian language, so whatever he said originally, it wasn't that. I've heard it translates to something along the lines of "Israel will crumble." Quite a different sentiment. I don't know Persian, so I can't personally confirm either way, but I'm guessing most people who take offense at his supposed statement don't either.

Also, Mr Ahmadinejad does not have the authority to declare war.

[Madeline]

I just heard this song today elswhere.

www.youtube.com/?v=xu29F8NfRvI

[Autolykos]

Quote by: Mr.Vicchio Article | Reuters You think Israel should be worried? Shouldn't we all?

The title of the article -- and this thread -- is inaccurate. If you'll notice, Ahmadinejad does not talk about the land area currently called "Israel" or the people who call themselves "Israelis". Instead, he talks about the government which rules that land and those people:

With God's help, the countdown button for the destruction of the Zionist regime has been pushed by the hands of the children of Lebanon and Palestine

To say that calling for an end to Israel's political structure is the same as calling for an end to every Israeli's life is to engage in dishonesty. It seems, however, that that's the impression the article wants us to have.

- Rob

[xyzer]

Perhaps one is mad only if he/she is your opponent.

Tell that one to the survivors of the "holocaust"? Tell that to the relatives of the 360,000(men,women and children) who were butchered and killed at the orders of Idi Amin in Uganda? I'm sure those kids were fighting with Idi over possession of a soccer ball?

Tell me auto, what does 'Ahwannajihad' mean by the Zionist Regime?

With God's help, the countdown button for the destruction of the Zionist regime has been pushed by the hands of the children of Lebanon and Palestine

That term was used to identify a group of Jewish zealots in Palestine over 50 years ago, was it not? Is this madman suggesting that it still exists to govern Israel the nation?

[Autolykos]

Quote by: xyzer Tell me auto, what does 'Ahwannajihad' mean by the Zionist Regime? That term was used to identify a group of Jewish zealots in Palestine over 50 years ago, was it not? Is this madman suggesting that it still exists to govern Israel the nation?

Zionism was a political movement to establish a Jewish state in the territory of Palestine. The modern state of Israel is the fulfillment of that movement.

- Rob

[GHook93]

Quote by: Setnakt Also, Mr Ahmadinejad does not have the authority to declare war.

Do you have a link behind this assertion?

[Epistemologist]

Quote by: Mr.Vicchio Ahh relativism, it's so fresh and uninspiring. The guy is a mad man. And Israel can and should glass Tehran if things go south.

What's relativism have to do with this?

Quote by: xyzer Tell that one to the survivors of the "holocaust"? Tell that to the relatives of the 360,000(men,women and children) who were butchered and killed at the orders of Idi Amin in Uganda? I'm sure those kids were fighting with Idi over possession of a soccer ball? Tell me auto, what does 'Ahwannajihad' mean by the Zionist Regime? That term was used to identify a group of Jewish zealots in Palestine over 50 years ago, was it not? Is this madman suggesting that it still exists to govern Israel the nation?

Still don't have to be mad to do those things. Enemies may paint a different picture though.

Yes.

[rmnunez]

I wouldn't be too worried about this, the Iranian says outrageous things about Israel and the Jews all the time, like the note says, he called for Israel being wiped off the mapp, then there was that holocaust denial conference, now its a countdown for the zionists' erradication.

[Autolykos]

There is a distinction between being Zionist and being Jewish.

Ahmadinejad has specifically called for an end to the "Zionist regime". He has never advocated killing people because they are Jewish. In fact, there were Jews present at his conference to investigate the veracity of the Holocaust. If Ahmadinejad were anti-Semitic, they would not have been there.

- Rob

[shrike]

Ahmadinejad has specifically called for an end to the "Zionist regime". He has never advocated killing people because they are Jewish. In fact, there were Jews present at his conference to investigate the veracity of the Holocaust. If Ahmadinejad were anti-Semitic, they would not have been there.

Zionist regime is a Jewish state its pretty much obvious.

[Autolykos]

Again, does that translate into opposing the existence of Jewish people (i.e., wanting to kill them)?

- Rob

[Chaossaber314]

While the precise definition may differ, the general implication is quite clear.