What Bush Should Write Ahmadinejad
THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington, D.C.
May 10, 2006
Hon. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
President, Islamic Republic of Iran
c/o Iranian Embassy to the United Nations
Dear Mr. President:
Thank you for your letter of May 7, in which you shared your views on history, religion, and US policy in the Middle East. Frank and honest exchanges of opinions between heads of states can prevent misunderstandings and advance the cause of international peace.
I note with special interest your citation of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus as prophets, whose words should guide us today. Christians and Muslims worship the same Creator, even though we address Him by different names and differ in our theologies. My presidency is guided by my faith, as I am sure yours is by your faith.
I am distressed, however about a number of statements you have made, both in this letter and elsewhere regarding the State of Israel. You have stated that Israel has no right to exist and ought to be "wiped off the map." I direct your attention to the following two verses in Chapter 35 of the Book of Genesis:
"10:...and G-d said to him your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel will be your name.....
12: And the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac , I shall give it to you and your seed..."
Do you deny that the "seed of Jacob" in our time is none other than the Jewish People, who have named their State after their ancestor Israel? ( The term Palestine, invented by the Romans and used later by the British, occurs nowhere in either the Bible or the Quran.) Many Christians consider the founding of modern Israel in 1948 a latter-day fulfillment of the prophecy cited above.
The people of Israel, many of whom barely survived the attempt by Nazi Germany to annihilate the Jews of Europe, are deeply concerned about your stated desire to "wipe Israel off the map", especially in light of your nation's effort to enrich uranium beyond the levels necessary to generate electricity. You have predicted that "Israel will be destroyed by a single storm." Former Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani once opined that "the use of a nuclear bomb in Israel will leave nothing on the ground..." Your armed forces have acquired and tested long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
So, tell the world in unambiguous terms: if Iran had the military power to destroy Israel, would you do it? If the answer is No, say so clearly and publicly. If the answer is Yes, then Israel has every right to take pre-emptive action against Iran to avert this threat. I stress to you as a fellow head of state that leaving this question open to a "worst- case scenario" interpretation could lead to a devastating war that would leave Iran in ashes.
I write about nuclear weapons as the leader of the nation that first developed them, and has been the only nation to ever use them in war. The US detonated two atomic bombs on Japan after that nation had attacked our base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and had fought against us and our allies for nearly four years in the Pacific. In sharp contrast, Israel has never attacked Iran, and has not threatened to do so. Iran is at peace, is threatened by no one, and has no need for weapons of mass destruction.
You and other Iranian officials have stated repeatedly that Iran has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons. Yet you refuse international inspections of your uranium processing to verify your peaceful intentions. Moreover, Iran is considering withdrawal from the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Why?
Iran and the United States have not had diplomatic relations since November, 1979, when the Revolutionary Government allowed young thugs to invade our embassy in Tehran and hold its staff as hostages for over a year. I believe that the resulting rupture in Iran-American relations emboldened Sadam Hussein to attack Iran in 1980, leading to enormous suffering by your people. If your letter is an indication that your Government is seeking the restoration of a cordial relationship with the United States, I welcome it. Diplomatic relations could resume, contingent upon your guaranty, confirmed by your Guardian Council, that your Government will protect the security of our embassy and staff.
My Administration is working hard to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and we hope that Iran will play a constructive role in achieving that goal. I look forward to your reply to the questions I have raised in this letter, and sincerely hope that they will lead to better relations between our nations.
Yours truly,
/s/
George W Bush
President of the United States
Washington, D.C.
May 10, 2006
Hon. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
President, Islamic Republic of Iran
c/o Iranian Embassy to the United Nations
Dear Mr. President:
Thank you for your letter of May 7, in which you shared your views on history, religion, and US policy in the Middle East. Frank and honest exchanges of opinions between heads of states can prevent misunderstandings and advance the cause of international peace.
I note with special interest your citation of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus as prophets, whose words should guide us today. Christians and Muslims worship the same Creator, even though we address Him by different names and differ in our theologies. My presidency is guided by my faith, as I am sure yours is by your faith.
I am distressed, however about a number of statements you have made, both in this letter and elsewhere regarding the State of Israel. You have stated that Israel has no right to exist and ought to be "wiped off the map." I direct your attention to the following two verses in Chapter 35 of the Book of Genesis:
"10:...and G-d said to him your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel will be your name.....
12: And the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac , I shall give it to you and your seed..."
Do you deny that the "seed of Jacob" in our time is none other than the Jewish People, who have named their State after their ancestor Israel? ( The term Palestine, invented by the Romans and used later by the British, occurs nowhere in either the Bible or the Quran.) Many Christians consider the founding of modern Israel in 1948 a latter-day fulfillment of the prophecy cited above.
The people of Israel, many of whom barely survived the attempt by Nazi Germany to annihilate the Jews of Europe, are deeply concerned about your stated desire to "wipe Israel off the map", especially in light of your nation's effort to enrich uranium beyond the levels necessary to generate electricity. You have predicted that "Israel will be destroyed by a single storm." Former Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani once opined that "the use of a nuclear bomb in Israel will leave nothing on the ground..." Your armed forces have acquired and tested long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
So, tell the world in unambiguous terms: if Iran had the military power to destroy Israel, would you do it? If the answer is No, say so clearly and publicly. If the answer is Yes, then Israel has every right to take pre-emptive action against Iran to avert this threat. I stress to you as a fellow head of state that leaving this question open to a "worst- case scenario" interpretation could lead to a devastating war that would leave Iran in ashes.
I write about nuclear weapons as the leader of the nation that first developed them, and has been the only nation to ever use them in war. The US detonated two atomic bombs on Japan after that nation had attacked our base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and had fought against us and our allies for nearly four years in the Pacific. In sharp contrast, Israel has never attacked Iran, and has not threatened to do so. Iran is at peace, is threatened by no one, and has no need for weapons of mass destruction.
You and other Iranian officials have stated repeatedly that Iran has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons. Yet you refuse international inspections of your uranium processing to verify your peaceful intentions. Moreover, Iran is considering withdrawal from the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Why?
Iran and the United States have not had diplomatic relations since November, 1979, when the Revolutionary Government allowed young thugs to invade our embassy in Tehran and hold its staff as hostages for over a year. I believe that the resulting rupture in Iran-American relations emboldened Sadam Hussein to attack Iran in 1980, leading to enormous suffering by your people. If your letter is an indication that your Government is seeking the restoration of a cordial relationship with the United States, I welcome it. Diplomatic relations could resume, contingent upon your guaranty, confirmed by your Guardian Council, that your Government will protect the security of our embassy and staff.
My Administration is working hard to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and we hope that Iran will play a constructive role in achieving that goal. I look forward to your reply to the questions I have raised in this letter, and sincerely hope that they will lead to better relations between our nations.
Yours truly,
/s/
George W Bush
President of the United States
posted by Gerald S Glazer at 9:15 AM
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