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Iranian
President Booed in New York |
Posted:
10.01.07
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to New York City
for the United Nations General Assembly last month stirred controversy
after he sought to visit the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks
and spoke to a chorus of criticism at Columbia University.
Printer-friendly versions: PDF
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Ahmadinejad was one of dozens of world leaders who spoke  before
the United Nations meeting. He was also invited to speak at Columbia
University, where he was berated by the university's president
and booed by the audience.
The Iranian president has drawn heavy criticism for saying that
the Holocaust was a myth and that Israel should be destroyed.
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Facing off
with President Bush |
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Although Ahmadinejad's controversial
statements (among the comments in his Columbia appearance, he said
there were no homosexuals in Iran) made for good television and
earned  coverage
on almost every major news program, it's Iran's policy decisions
that have set him against the Bush administration.
Iran's quest for nuclear technology and allegations that its
government helps support fighters in Iraq has made it one of America's
foremost enemies.
In the past, White House officials have said a military strike
against Iran was possible, but Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice last week said diplomacy is still the first choice.
"We still believe that the diplomatic track has legs and
can still resolve this if we remain very tough on that track,"
she told CBS News, adding that military action is still an option
under consideration.
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History of
bad relations |
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The United States and Iran have had tense relations for decades.
In 1979, radical students invaded the U.S. Embassy in the Iranian
capital of Tehran and held approximately seventy American hostages
for more than a year.
That year, Islamic fundamentalists took over the country, turning
it into an Islamic theocracy, a period the country's history known
as the Islamic revolution.
 According
to Iran's constitution, its religious supreme leader, Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei, and his Supreme Guardian Council holds
the majority of the power and elected leaders, including President
Ahmadinejad and members of parliament, hold much less.
The religious government is also known for throwing political
dissidents in jail and for limiting the rights of women. Women
are not allowed to run for political office and can be stoned
to death for committing crimes including adultery.
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Diversion
tactics? |
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Analysts say Ahmadinejad
purposefully sparks controversy to get media attention -perhaps
to divert Iranians from problems at home, especially deteriorating
economic conditions.
"He ran on this platform of being a simple man, a man of
the people, but he's actually someone who's quite narcissistic.
And he does put a great deal of emphasis on what people think
of him," explained Iranian-American Karim Sadjadpour of the
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on the Sept. 25 NewsHour.
"His mandate was very clear when he was elected; that was
to, quote, unquote, 'put the oil money on people's dinner tables.'
 But
since he's come into office, he's really neglected the economy,"
he added.
Ultimately, Ahmadinejad may be speaking for the most powerful
person in Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, but he is not calling the
shots.
And if he continues to put on a show for the West, Khamenei may
lose interest and support a different candidate when Ahmadinejad
comes up for reelection in March 2009.
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Compiled by Quinn Bowman for NewsHour Extra
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