Germany invites the Thug-In-Chief to the World Cup. No surprise here, I suppose; Iran would have welcomed Hitler into Tehran. From Davids Medienkritik (where there are many good links), with thanks to Gabrielle Goldwater:
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called the Holocaust "a myth." He's called for Israel to be "wiped off the map." He's the head of one of the most repressive governments on earth. And, as far as most German authorities are concerned, he's a welcome guest at this summer's 2006 FIFA World Cup.German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble (CDU) recently stated that Ahmadinejad is welcome at the World Cup because Germany wants to be "a good host." Schaeuble, who is considered conservative by German standards, said that he would "talk to him about his statements" in the event of a visit and added that "it will not be entirely simple."...
Endnote: You can contact Wolfgang Schaeuble at: wolfgang.schaeuble@bundestag.de.
My understanding is that Ahmedinnerjacket, when questioned, said he had no intention of going anyway. It sounds like Herr Schaeuble is eagerly offering something that isn't even wanted.
I'm reminded of the Not the 9 o'clock News sketch on televison where Mel Smith dressed as a trendy "liberal" vicar is lying across the steps of his church. Asked about devil worship, he replies that it's "got to come".
The reporter then asks a devil worshipper if he is pleased by Mel Smith's concession, to which he replies that he "couldn't give a stuff".
Funny how on the one hand, Germany is now prosecuting the notorious German-born Holocaust denier, Ernst Zundel, following his extradition from the US, but is welcoming an even more dangerous Holocaust denier from Iran.
The German government should have issued a statement. It should have read:
"The government of Germany has taken note of the statements of Mr. Ahmadinejad concerning his desire, and intent, as he put it, to "wipe Israel off the map." This should be unacceptable to any country. Obviously, such a statement resonates, in its horror, particularly strongly in Germany, where such statements will not and, for clear historic and moral reasons, cannot be tolerated -- not the statements, not the sentiments behind the statements. In fact, I will go further. It is the position of the govenment of Germany that any attack on Israel will be considered an attack on Germany, and the German govenment has a duty to do what it can to make sure that such an attack never takes place. This, for historic and above all for moral reasons, should be, and now is, a stated policy, even a priority, of the government of Germany.
As for Mr. Ahmadinejad, neither he, nor any of those who support his remark, are welcome in Germany. Should he choose to attempt to come here, his entry will be denied."
The late Marian Donhoff, the late Friedrich Reck-Malleczewen, the late T. H. Tetens, could have written such a statement. They are not around to do it, so I've written it for them. Why can Wolfgang Schaeuble not do so?
Only if they use of Mahmoud what the ancient Afghanis used for their 'soccer balls'.
(Since he isn't using that object for anything worthwhile anyway.)
Deutscheland unter Allah?
This item left me so stunned that I left a response that included a reference or two to copulation - which Robert quite rightly deleted. It went something like this:
"Are they out of their [lovemaking] minds? Every headline writer in the world is going to weave variations on "GErmany welcomes Jew hater" and "Germany spreads red carpet for promised destroyer of Israel." Just when it seemd that the fall of the America-hating dhimmi Schroeder had put back a little [lovemaking] sanity into the governance of Germany."
I wrote a quick letter at the above address. Thanks for the info. Here's my letter in case it inspires anyone to write their own. Hugh, be sure to send yours.
Dear Mr. Schaeuble:
I was disappointed in Germany's recent decision to welcome Mr. Ahmadinejad, current leader of Iran. He is one of the world's most dangerous men at the moment, and perfectly willing (hopefully not yet capable) of starting another world war. I think Germans offering such a man their hospitality would send the wrong message about modern-day Germany.
I just watched some old film from the return trip of Jesse Owens to Germany, I think Berlin. On that trip the mayor shook both of Owens' hands in order to show how there had been a sea-change in attitude of Germans. I wept and remembered my father, whose grandparents came from Germany. He was stationed in Germany after the war and was a great admirer of German culture.
Images are powerful. Images last decades. Please don't allow this hateful man, who would almost certainly have been in lock-step with Hitler, to disgrace the soil of Germany.
I sent this e-mail:
Mr.Foreign Minister,
if Germany does not wish certain historical memories - whether or not expiated and gone - to rise again and stain her present face, one thing she ought to avoid is to let a Holocaust-denying, mass murdering, woman-hating, threatening, warmongering, terrorist-supporting, would-be destroyer of Israel such as "President" Ahmedinajad on German soil. There is no diplomatic protocol or law that requires that a head of state be granted a welcome even when he is a noxious criminal; your country should simply inform him that he is not welcome and that, if he ever wished to enter German soil, he would not be allowed beyond the bounds of his embassy. No Western country should feel bound to allow this sworn enemy of our culture and civilization into its borders; but in the case of Germany, I would have thought that mere good taste would prevent a disgusting Holocaust denier like that from even being considered as a guest. And if you think these comments are strong, I suggest you visit the blogosphere and see what international public opinion is really saying.
Yours sincerely,
***** ********
(an insignificant Italian citizen)
Maybe, and I know this in very poor taste, the object of the discussion is so that the Iranain President can obtain some inofrmation on how best to continue (from where the Germans left off) the destruction of the Jews that would not entail building an expensive and visible Nuclear missle.
Absolutley, Yojimbo, I beleive the sketch was under the title
"The DEVIL, is he all bad"
Note: Iran was formaly known as Persia, but when it aligned itself with the Nazis in WWII it changed its name to Iran meaning "Land of the Aryans"
Robert
Iran (formaly known as Persia), did invite Hitler to visit but he was otherwise engaged, invading the whole of Europe and Russia.
note: your statement "Most repressive government on earth" perhaps should be accompanied by Saudi Arabia, and N Korea.
From former 'liberal WF':
"..I was disappointed in Germany's recent decision to welcome Mr. Ahmadinejad, current leader of Iran..."
Not quite correct: Germany did not 'make that decision to welcome Ahmadinejad'...
Scheuble is pretty much alone with his invitation and seems to cop a fair bit of flak from left & right according to SPIEGEL ONLINE.
What surprises me is that this 'invitation' (which was never officially extended) to Ahmadinejad, should come from a man such as Scheuble, who is generally seen as a spot-on 'right-wing' type and often enough 'sharp as a razor' when formulating policies.
Well, I happen to disagree with all of you. Iran is probably going to the World Cup, so it makes sense that its elected leader might want to go see a game or two. I see nothing wrong with that.
Is Iran a country with a despicable regime unworthy of participating in the World Cup? Probably - but that is something that isn't up to the German hosts to decide, it is up to FIFA. FIFA was silent, and the Germans should indeed be good hosts.
What the Germans could have said was that if Ahmadinejad repeated on German soil the Holocaust statements he made in Iran, that he could be prosecuted or expelled from the country.