Ahmadinejad at Columbia University September 24, 2007

As I’ve said many times before, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad constantly says things that discredit him in the eyes of the Western world.  Today, as I write this, he is speaking at Columbia University in New York City.  In response to a question about the execution of homosexuals, he proclaimed to the world that Iran doesn’t have any homosexuals.  This is patently absurd.

Perhaps it stems from some sort of internal Iranian policy that requires blanket denial of homosexuality, but it leads Westerners to believe that Ahmadinejad is either a liar or an ignoramus.   His answer provoked both laughter and groans from the New York audience.

In addition, Ahmadinejad was consistently unable to give straight answers to questions like “Do you or your government seek the destruction of the sake of Israel?” and “Are you supporting terrorism in Iraq?”  It became clear through his answers that Iran’s president was declining to directly answer.  But Americans are just as intelligent as Persians, and in such a situation where someone clumsily avoids answering questions, we will assume the worst and think that the speaker is simply to weak to directly answer.

Americans are told every day that Iran wants to “wipe Israel off the map,” and that it supports and arms terrorists in Iraq, and if those things are true, Ahmadinejad shouldn’t shy away from telling the truth!  Americans already think these things are true.   But if Ahmadinejad would simply answer straightly, he could use his answer as an opportunity to explain his positions on these issues.

As to Israel, a straight answer would give Ahmadinejad greater ability to explain why he might seek the end of Israel as a political entity, and why his reasoning has nothing to do with Judaism.  He could speak about the conditions under which Palestinians live, the daily disruptions of their lives, the apartheid nature of the place.

As to Iraq, Americans are already coming around on the issue.  They hate Bush, and they’re sick of the war.  If Ahmadinejad is opposed to the war in Iraq, he should say so!  Have there truly been American incursions into Iranian border territories?  If so, don’t be afraid to tell us.  I have a strong feeling that Iran’s ill-conceived domestic PR strategy is also polluting their president’s abilities to talk about international issues.

The Persian people are far from stupid - they have access to the internet, and international newspapers.  They are a very highly-educated population.  Ahmadinejad’s denial of homosexuality, for example, isn’t fooling Persians any more than it fools Americans.  It would seem that instead of becoming a regional leader, Iran’s government behaves in a very parochial manner, insulting its own citizens and making it the subject of ridicule and hatred abroad.