Ahmadinejad, the new hero of Arab world, rejects Condi's offer

The 'hero' of the Arab world?  Why Iran's President Ahmadinejad?  Why not any of the other leaders of Arab countries?  And why now?  Because he stands up to the United States of America and Israel. Because he seems to have no fear of the West, or anyone for that matter.  Because he denies the Nazi Holocaust.  Because he is fanatically religious and believes HE is the messiah who will bring forth the return of the 12th Imam.  Because HE will bring about the much anticipated Islamic Caliphate.  Because he thinks he's special!

The Arab states are mostly led by elderly, pro-American, conservatives, like King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, or by princelings who inherited their thrones from charismatic fathers, like Bashar al Asad of Syria and King Abdullah II of Jordan. They’re nothing like Ahmadinejad, the stubborn and messianic son of a rural blacksmith.  In his constant attacks on Israel, Ahmadinejad has found a ready audience. For example, while denying the Nazi Holocaust isn’t an emotive issue in Iran, “it resonates much more with the Arabs,’’ said Shaul Bakhash, a professor of history at George Mason University in Virginia.

With his persistent jabs at America, Israel and the West, his apparent drive for a nuclear bomb and his workingman’s wardrobe of off-the-rack suits, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has captured the Arab street.  While Arab leaders worry over the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran and its aggressive president, the coffee houses of Cairo are buzzing with support.

“He has the courage to stand up to America and Israel. Which other leader in the world is doing that?’’ said Ahmed Yassin, a 46-year-old bank employee,...

“There is a hunger for leadership in the Arab world, a hunger for change,’’ said Shibley Telhami, an international pollster at the University of Maryland. “Iran is reaping the benefit.’’   source

The majority of citizens in Arab countries believe that Iran IS working toward nuclear WEAPONS.  But the debate is about more than Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, and that is credited to Ahmadinejad.  He has made the debate about Israel, about Palestinian rights, about people's rights -- the rights to have what America, Pakistan, Israel already have. 

No wonder he is looked at as the "hero" of the Arab world.  He's the whole ball of wax all rolled up in one leader.  He likes his role as hero and he is playing the part for the world to see.  All that makes him a real threat. 

Apparently Condi Rice is working with partner countries on a 'grand bargain' to be offered to Iran, a sort of 'buy off' or 'heap big batch of carrots'.  Russia and China don't try to hide the fact that they are deeply in the financial bed with Iran.  But what isn't widely reported is that  United States corporations have been in the past, and would like to be again, financially involved with Iran.

Among the many advocates of doing business with the Tehran regime are U.S. oil giant CONOCO, Boeing, and any number of trade associations, whose interests are obvious.

Their views have been packaged and given a policy veneer by the likes of Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski, who urged the Bush administration in a 2004 Council on Foreign Relations paper to lift U.S. trade sanctions and seek an accommodation with the mullahs in Tehran.

Ka-ching!  ...

It is not yet time to unleash the dogs of war. It is time instead to help the Iranian people to achieve their freedom.

Given the high stakes, we have a moral imperative to attempt what no American administration has attempted before: to give the Iranian people the means they need to build a massive non-violent movement, well-coordinated and well-organized, to challenge the clerical tyranny that is bent on leading Iran to devastation.   source

While it may not be the time "to release the dogs of war" just yet, and while I hope that diplomacy would bring peace, I do not believe that Ahmadinejad wants peace without armageddon.  It was reported this week that Iran is making plans for war.

The White House is bringing together a group of experts on Iran:

The White House has invited a panel of experts to discuss Iran and how to effectively go about a regime change inside Iran.  One of those experts is Amir Taheri.  Taheri is now known for his report that a bill was proposed in Iran that would require all non-Muslims to wear badges. ...

It should shock no one that Ahmadinejad has at least a little animosity towards Jews, but Ahmadinejad has also been quoted saying he wants to stop Christianity in Iran. ...

Taheri continues to stand by his story and provides more historical reasoning that badges identifying non-Muslims have been used in Iran before being banned in 1908. Taheri also notes that the Iranian regime has yet to come out and say the story is false.  via In the Bullpen

Now that the U.S. has offered joint talks with Iran and this possible 'grand bargain', what are the responses to that offer?

There's some variance this morning in coverage of Iran's response to the U.S. proposal for direct nuclear talks. The coverage ranges from "welcomed ... but rebuffed" to "spurned" -- with a later "welcomed, but" mention -- to just a spurning. The last one comes from the English-language version of Iran's state-run news agency, IRNA.

Associated Press: "Iran's foreign minister on Thursday welcomed direct talks with Washington on his country's disputed nuclear program but rebuffed a U.S. proposal that Tehran must suspend uranium enrichment as a condition, state-run television reported."

Reuters: "Iran on Thursday spurned a U.S. offer of direct talks on its nuclear program as major world powers sought agreement on incentives to coax it to scrap potentially weapons-related atomic work."

IRNA: "Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here Thursday US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's latest remarks presented no 'new and rational solution' to Iran's nuclear case."

Outside of the foreign ministers comments, IRNA publishes a mix of reaction. One story finds the European Commission praising the U.S. move, and another notes China's with-reservations support; but there's also critical reaction from IRNA's managing director. He says the United States is "playing games."  source