Ahmadinejad Says Terrorists Could Remain In Iraq For Another 100 Years
At a town hall meeting in Tehran on Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed a perturbed audience member who expressed his concern that Iranian terrorists could remain in Iraq for another 50 years.
"Why not make it a hundred?" Ahmadinejad quipped. "We've had terrorists in Lebanon for over 20 years, so I suppose 50 years in Iraq would be fine with me, as long as they're not getting injured or killed. But if any them do get killed, you could rest assured that thousands of innocent Iraqis will die right along side them."
Ahmadinejad's remarks drew heavy criticism from several members of the Iranian parliament who claimed Ahmadinejad was planning on continuing the insurgency in Iraq for another 100 years.
Ahmadinejad, however, allayed those concerns on Friday, telling reporters that his words had been misinterpreted.
"I never said the insurgency would last another 100 years," he said, "I simply stated that we've had terrorists in Lebanon for over 20 years, so there's no reason why we can't have terrorists in Iraq indefinitely."
"Listen," Ahmadinejad explained, "if Iranian terrorists are withdrawn from the region precipitately, we could forfeit any chance of nurturing a free and theocratic society in Iraq."
Illinois Senator Barack Obama, however, quickly seized on Ahmadinejad's '100 year' gaffe to distinguish himself from both the Iranian President and Senator John McCain.
"Senator McCain, like his ideological pal, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad plans on occupying Iraq indefinitely," Obama told a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Philadelphia on Friday. "But I pledge to you today, that if I'm elected President, America will never again encroach upon another nation's insurgency! And you can take that promise with you all the way to the bank!" Del.icio.us I DiggIt!
"Why not make it a hundred?" Ahmadinejad quipped. "We've had terrorists in Lebanon for over 20 years, so I suppose 50 years in Iraq would be fine with me, as long as they're not getting injured or killed. But if any them do get killed, you could rest assured that thousands of innocent Iraqis will die right along side them."
Ahmadinejad's remarks drew heavy criticism from several members of the Iranian parliament who claimed Ahmadinejad was planning on continuing the insurgency in Iraq for another 100 years.
Ahmadinejad, however, allayed those concerns on Friday, telling reporters that his words had been misinterpreted.
"I never said the insurgency would last another 100 years," he said, "I simply stated that we've had terrorists in Lebanon for over 20 years, so there's no reason why we can't have terrorists in Iraq indefinitely."
"Listen," Ahmadinejad explained, "if Iranian terrorists are withdrawn from the region precipitately, we could forfeit any chance of nurturing a free and theocratic society in Iraq."
Illinois Senator Barack Obama, however, quickly seized on Ahmadinejad's '100 year' gaffe to distinguish himself from both the Iranian President and Senator John McCain.
"Senator McCain, like his ideological pal, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad plans on occupying Iraq indefinitely," Obama told a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Philadelphia on Friday. "But I pledge to you today, that if I'm elected President, America will never again encroach upon another nation's insurgency! And you can take that promise with you all the way to the bank!" Del.icio.us I DiggIt!
posted by Postman at
Friday, April 11, 2008
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