May 18, 2003
Rafsanjani's Nukes
One of the things I've learned in traveling to many countries and/or meeting people of various lands via cyber-space is that every country has a certain number of "myths" that have become entrenched into the folklore of that country. So much to the point that people have accepted them as undeniable facts.
This is also true for Iranians. For example, as the value of their currency was on a horrible downward spiral, I heard this saga from many Iranians over and over again that Bill Clinton himself had held a 1,000 Rial note in one hand and a dollar bill in another at a speech and had promised to make them equal (a dollar was worth about 70 Rials just before the revolution of 1979).
If you talked to 10 Iranians, it seemed that 9 had heard of it, 5 listened to the news of it on the radio, and occasionally one would even swear that he watched the whole speech on CNN. Such a speech, obviously never took place but even to this day it is part of a nation’s psyche.
A couple of years ago I found another one of these myths, this one through a few Israeli friends.
The myth of Rafsanjani’s nuclear speech seems to be a reality to many Israelis and when it came up in my comments section, I was happy to confront it, although I got beat by another reader. I really wanted to ask where they heard this and how did it become such a matter of fact story in Israel. The answer is rather obvious, as I found out this is how certain Israeli media, particularly the ones close to the far right in Israel reported it as such.
But is it true? Let’s see.
Before I begin, although I do not believe it is needed, let me clarify one thing. In the mind of this writer, Rafsanjani is the true powerhouse behind the murderous regime in Iran and as such I consider him one of the most despicable beings on the face of this earth. Having said that, even he deserves to be questioned or even condemned for what he has actually said and done, not what is alleged or imagined against him.
First, what is being alleged he has said; most people I have heard this from point to a Friday sermon Rafsanjani delivered on December 14, 2001. “Brant” summed it up best in the same comments section stating Rafsanjani said that "Iran would use a nuclear bomb against Israel as soon as it had one.”
Unfortunately the full text of Rafsanjani’s speech is not available to confirm or deny this without any suspicion. Friday sermons are rather long and as such they are usually abbreviated by most newspapers and are published the next day. More than one source has searched for what was actually said on that day and here is the quote closest to the actual allegation reported by Michael Rubin of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, hardly an anti-Israeli outfit: "If one day, the Islamic world is also equipped with weapons like those that Israel possesses now, then the imperialists' strategy will reach a standstill because the use of even one nuclear bomb inside Israel will destroy everything."
The most detailed account comes from The Middle-East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). They highlighted various parts of that entire speech and here is their version of what was said about Israel and nuclear weapons: “Rafsanjani said that Muslims must surround colonialism and force them [the colonialists] to see whether Israel is beneficial to them or not. If one day, he said, the world of Islam comes to possess the weapons currently in Israel's possession [meaning nuclear weapons] - on that day this method of global arrogance would come to a dead end. This, he said, is because the use of a nuclear bomb in Israel will leave nothing on the ground, whereas it will only damage the world of Islam.”
Now you want to blame the guy for continuing an unwanted and costly war against Iraq, despite the opportunity to end it 6 years earlier and with a relative victory, go ahead. You want to hold him partially responsible for thousands of executions, rapes, imprisonments and torture committed during his reign and afterwards, please feel free. You believe he is to blame for causing some of the international havoc caused by this regime, be it by supporting terrorism, harboring fugitives or sponsoring terrorist acts abroad, I won’t stop you. You judge him accountable for an irresponsible economic platform, soaring unemployment and theft of Iran’s natural resources, I will not dispute it. But blame him for something he hasn’t said, because it fits your own mischievous agenda, I have a problem with that. And so far, I have not found any unbiased report of Rafsanjani ever stating publicly or privately that “Iran would use a nuclear bomb against Israel as soon as it had one.”
Posted by Pedram at May 18, 2003 06:56 PMTo be fair, it's not what Raf says that worries the west, it's what he can do.
If the leader of an oil-exporting country builds nuclear reactors and claims this is for 'civil use' , we have to question at least his veracity or his sanity. Why create a dangerous and hazardous waste producing source of energy if you just have to dig a hole for oil?
So I don't think the west can be accused of paranoia when they claim Iran is building nuclear weapons.
Posted by: jesusfreak at May 20, 2003 05:31 AMTrue Pedram. I don't believe half of what I read or most of what I hear. Allegations don't count and the first time anyone responds to an allegation then chances are people will think the allegation IS true. It's best to ingore any false accusation-it may take some time to die out but it's better than giving it credence. BTW..in response to last comment,the myth didn't claim Iran didn't have nuclear weapons. The myth claims that Iran said it would use nuclear weapons on Isreal. Big difference.I don't think too highly of Iranian authorities but I do give them credit to be intelligent enough to realize what the United States realized about nuclear power long ago-it's called MAD.Advise:watch what one reads even in newspapers. In fact,be more cautious about what one reads in the media particularly if there are "un-named sources." IF i'm going to believe anything I want to see a source first-second, watch out for agenda's. There's a real big stink going on here about Bush's landing on the aircraft carrier. Is it really that big a deal?
Ok..the price tag to taxpayers,maybe. All things considered there's been enough pork barrel over the years here(I could name some of the stuff going on right now and the price tag)that this couldn't come close.
So now they decide to make a big deal of it.
Anyway,watch out for agenda's and expect it to get worse because it's an election year.
Another phenomenon(sp)in the United States are the conspiracy theories. You think:these are so stupid the only people who could possibly buy them are the same people who read the Enquirer but then you meet someone who swears it's the truth.
Sure-Elvis is alive somewhere,Hitler is alive somewhere and flying saucers landed at the White House. George W. was abucted. The President is really an alien.
Quoting out of context should be viewed by editors as tantamount to fabrication. I've seen some pretty funny stuff on late night tv where the host pretends to ask riddiculous questions and they take snippets of the famous person's past speeches to answer them. I think there was a scene in 'Good Morning Vietnam' where Robin Williams does it to Nixon.
Posted by: Dave at May 21, 2003 01:32 PMI don't see how anyone can interpret what MEMRI quotes Rafsanjani as saying, as anything other than a none-too-subtle threat to attack Israel with a nuclear weapon. The implication comes through pretty clearly in what I'm reading here.
"Rafsanjani said that Muslims must surround colonialism and force them [the colonialists] to see whether Israel is beneficial to them or not.If one day, he said, the world of Islam comes to possess the weapons currently in Israel's possession [meaning nuclear weapons] - on that day this method of global arrogance would come to a dead end."
The implication is pretty damned clear to anyone who is willing to face the facts. Just because it doesn't fit your worldview doesn't mean the charge against Rafsanjani is untrue. What makes it especially believable is that religious fanatics cannot be deterred by MAD, seeing as they tend to think that this life is only a prelude to a better one anyway.
Frankly, if I were an Israeli or a Jew, I would live in fear and hatred of the Iranian regime, and I would be right to do so.
Posted by: R. Wilson at May 22, 2003 11:00 AMUntil now, I thought Rafsanjani really said that he would strike Israel if he had Nukes, but what you are qoating from him does not neccesarily mean that.
I am not a fan of Rafsanjani, In fact I hate the guy. But how I read from this is that he would use it as a deterant that can stop current global arrogance, And that is true (although I hate to agree with Rafsanjani, but that is just true), If Iraq had Nukes, do you think US would dare to attack Iraq? Let us see what will happen with N. Korea with its possible Nuclear weapons.
Just one more thing:
Rafsanjani is not a real fanatic to see this life as a prelude for better life after death. He is just a smart opportunist who would do anything to hang on to power in this life and not the next. Believe it or not, he is much smarter than Bush.
Rafsanjani's comments are even worse than you let on:
PDF of MEMRI Report
Not only does he threaten the "artificial state of Israel", but terrorism against the whole of the West! And you expect any rational western government to stand by while "leaders" like this threaten their citizens?
Here's a newsflash for you guys - even if the West, and America in particular - really were as bad you like to think, no sane government will ever stand by and let its' avowed enemy acquire the means to threaten it in the manner Rafsanjani is doing, particularly if the government has the power to prevent it.
No matter how "evil" our governments are in your eyes, we value our own lives more than any abstract notion of "justice" you may think justifies a nuclear-armed Iran. You can insist that Rafsanjani is bluffing all you like: it is better for us to play it safe, and act on the assumption that he means just what he says.
Posted by: R. Wilson at May 22, 2003 11:53 PMR. Wilson;
I don't think you have a clue as to what you are talking about or the audiance you are lecturing to here. Stick around and read a bit more, you'll learn a lot. Then again, you seem to have already made up your mind and probably aren't open to anything that may alter your vision of this fantasy utopia you believe in. In that case, don't bother. We all understand where you are coming from.
Jerry in New Jersey
Posted by: Jerry at May 23, 2003 12:03 AM