Bush, Neo-Cons, and Liberals Failed the US when Ahmadinejad came to NY

Ahmadinejad in New York: "The Iranian President Doesn't Want to Become Isolated."
Simon Piel Interviews Didier Billion
Le Nouvel Observateur

Monday 24 September 2007

Le Nouvel Observateur: What is the meaning of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to New York in light of his latest statements about the nuclear bomb?

Didier Billion: His latest statements indicate that the Iranian president has a new concern to not allow himself to be isolated on the international scene. There are two tendencies within the Iranian state apparatus. That of the president is radical and firm. The other tendency emanates from parliamentarians and leaders such as [Akbar Hashemi] Rafsanjani or [Mohammad] Khatami. The latter two have publicly criticized the president on several occasions, deeming that his gesticulations will end up isolating the country. Consequently, there's a muffled internal confrontation that sometimes shows through. Ahmadinejad's last statement shows that there's been a shift in the balance of power within his country.

How do you explain the American refusal to see the Iranian president bow his head at Ground Zero as he had wished?

Contrary to the official reasons invoked, this is purely and simply a political decision. At a time when Bush is right in the middle of a test of strength with Iran, it would have been incomprehensible for the symbol of Iranian radicalism to go to Ground Zero. By proposing to go there on 9/11, Ahmadinejad offered one more provocation. But we must however remember that Iran very quickly condemned the September 11 attacks. Moreover, during the American riposte in Afghanistan, Iran authorized US aviation to fly over its territory. Khatami was still president at the time, and, even if he never directly collaborated with the United States, he demonstrated his goodwill. Bush's mistake was not to jump up and seize the Iranian opening.

In a New York Times interview, Nicolas Sarkozy reasserts his desire to strengthen sanctions. What form may they take? Could the UN General Assembly perhaps provide the opportunity to vote international sanctions against Tehran?

Sarkozy cannot do much. He's already pressuring French companies so that they won't invest in Iran, which is very bothersome to big groups, like Total, for example. He could go further and forbid them any collaboration with Iran. But that would be stupid. The Chinese and the Russians would broadly benefit from the vacated space to increase their importance in the country. Moreover, the UN General Assembly will not vote in other sanctions. Resolutions/sanctions were already voted in last March. And they are being applied. Besides, the plan proposed by [Mohamed] ElBaradei, which emphasizes diplomacy, has until November to run. Consequently, there will be nothing new before then. Finally, we may note that there has been a real change in direction in French diplomacy, which is lining up more and more with the Bush administration. Sarkozy's first foreign policy speech at the ambassadors' conference shows that. Iran, international terrorism and NATO were so many subjects on which he echoed Bush's statements.