“In the name of God”

The Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has written an open letter to the American people. Like his previous letter to Bush, it was dismissed by the White House as not worth commenting on. That's because Ahmadinejad is telling the truth.

Let's quote a few passages and see who is right or wrong, A. (Ahmadinejad) or B. (Bush)?

1.“In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity the perfect human being promised to all by You, and make us among his followers.”

• Pretending to speak in the name of God doesn't sound good to an atheist, but many heads of state and politicians are invoking God, including Bush. A=0; B=0.
  

2.“Persistent aggressions by the Zionists are making life more and more difficult for the rightful owners of the land of Palestine. In broad day-light, in front of cameras and before the eyes of the world, they are bombarding innocent defenseless civilians, bulldozing houses, firing machine guns at students in the streets and alleys, and subjecting their families to endless grief.”

• A. is right to support the Palestinian resistance against Zionist aggression, while B. supports Israel all the way. A=1; B=0.
  

3.“You have heard that the US administration is kidnapping its presumed opponents from across the globe and arbitrarily holding them without trial or any international supervision in horrendous prisons that it has established in various parts of the world.”

• While Iran has also been accused of kidnapping (and even murdering) its own dissidents, this cannot compare with what the U.S. administration has been doing since September 11, 2001. It has kidnapped and tortured hundreds of innocent foreigners who did not receive a trial at all. A=1; B=0.
  

4.“The legitimacy, power and influence of a government do not emanate from its arsenals of tanks, fighter aircrafts, missiles or nuclear weapons. Legitimacy and influence reside in sound logic, quest for justice and compassion and empathy for all humanity.”

• Iran does not use its military to impose its will on other countries. The U.S. does. A=1; B=0.
  

5.“Is it not possible to put wealth and power in the service of peace, stability, prosperity and the happiness of all peoples through a commitment to justice and respect for the rights of all nations, instead of aggression and war?”

• Iran has not invaded any other country, it has itself been the victim of aggression. The U.S. has committed many acts of aggression against other countries. A=1; B=0.
  

6.“We all condemn terrorism, because its victims are the innocent. But, can terrorism be contained and eradicated through war, destruction and the killing of hundreds of thousands of innocents?”

• No, terrorism cannot be eradicated through war. It will cease to exist when desperate people no longer see it as a means to fight imperialism, that is when imperialism ceases to exist. Therefore, if you want to prevent terrorism, fight imperialism. A=1, B=0.
  

That's 5 points for A. and 0 for B. Congratulations, George W.!