Iranian Leader Opens Up

(CBS)  When Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks out candidly - as is his habit - he scares a lot of people. He has said more than once that Israel should be wiped off the map, and that the Holocaust is an overblown fairytale.

When correspondent Mike Wallace interviewed him in Tehran last week, it became apparent that he sees the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah - a militia Iran has long supported - as part of a larger battle between the U.S. and a militant Islam for control of the Middle East.

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"Very clearly, I will tell you that I fully oppose the behavior of the British and the Americans," Ahmadinejad tells Wallace. "They are providing state-of-the-art military hardware to the Zionists. And they are throwing their full support behind Israel. We believe that this threatens the future of all peoples, including the American and European peoples. So we are asking why the American government is blindly supporting this murderous regime."

Wallace tried to ask him about Hezbollah's use of missiles, rockets furnished by Iran, but he wanted to talk about Israel's attacks with American bombs.

"The laser-guided bombs that have been given to the Zionists and they're targeting the shelter of defenseless children and women," the president said.

"Who supports Hezbollah?" Wallace asked. "Who has given Hezbollah hundreds of millions of dollars for years? Who has given Hezbollah Iranian-made missiles and rockets that is making - that are making all kinds …" he continued as he was interrupted.

"Are you the representative of the Zionist regime? Or a journalist?" Ahmadinejad asked Wallace.

"I'm a journalist. I am a journalist," Wallace replied.

"This is not journalism, sir. Hezbollah is a popular organization in Lebanon, and they are defending their land," the president said. "They are defending their own houses. And, according to the charter of the United Nations, every person has the right to defend his house.

"What I'm saying is that the killing of innocents is reprehensible. And making this - the displacement of people and making them refugees, again, is reprehensible,"

"Well, what has Hezbollah, though - wait a minute," Wallace asked. "Hezbollah is displacing and damaging and making bleed all kinds of people. You know that."

"Please tell me, are the Lebanese inside the occupied lands right now or is it the other way around, that the Zionist troops are in Lebanese territory?" Ahmadinejad replied. "Lebanon is defending its independence. We are not at all happy with war. That is why on the first day we condemned these recent - conflict. And we asked for an immediate cease fire."

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[sina3]

i think he is so invalid in speaking.and he doesnt know anything about policy.its better for him and iranians people that he tell nothing.

[mburlone]

Yasmin, while bigdawg may have erroneous views, you have nullified any prudence in your words as a result of your stereotyping our own midwestern citizens. How easy it is to see the fault in others yet be blind to our own similar shortcomings.

[yasmin9-2009]

bigdawg: That nuke will include you, dear. You can't nuke just one country, the fallout will further ruin the planet where Bush and his corporations may have missed. It is amazing how you and your ilk seem to "know" what Iran wants and does not want. Too much Fox News? Not enough research? Look closely, it is Bush who wants war and we already have "the bomb" and plenty of them. We threatened them first, remember? "Condy" got on all the news channels and gave them only days to respond, even though they had written to Bush weeks before with no answer. Honey, you - you are the stone age with your corn-stalk thinking straight from the flatlands, a real doll.

[yasmin9-2009]

To ouromorrows: The point is, Iran is not the U.S. Yes, they have ways that are quite uncomfortable to our way of thinking and compared to our own freedoms; however, it is not up to us to change all that country by country. It isn't even working now. Bush is pretending that he is "liberating" women (not) and bringing Democracy. Iran would not be the only country as a "victim" of American imperialism; we still have bases in several countries after 40-50 years. Bush wants Iran out of the way; sees it as a threat to Israel. Period. So we are looking for ways to demonize Iran. One way is to point out how different they are from us and all the bad things they have done. Demonizing again, shades of Iraq. My advice is to start that search at home. We bombed Hiroshima needlessly; thousands dead, maimed for life, even thoughnegotiations had begun. We just wanted to see what the bomb would do. Then we bombed Nagasaki. We knew the Japanese were going for Pearl Harbor and we let it happen, sacrificed our own men and women. And then 911, our dirtywork. Why? We, my friend, are the real terrorists. And p.s. Just look at what is happening to protesters here these days. Not so different, many comparisons. Pretty scary.

[mari241]

Man online
Did u also know that saddam hussein was supported by The USA for over 20 years and suddently he became terrorists when the USA had no interest in him anymore. Did you also know that bin ladin and the talibans were supported by USA one.

[mari241]

man online

you need to get out more and try to learn more about other religions and cultures. And don't think that everyone should be like americans and if they are not they are behind. And you are so busy judgeing other countries that you are also forgeting what Americn is doing to other countries. YOu said that Iran is constantly thretening other countries. For your information it is ur country America who is doing that and wants every country to be under its control.
you said Iran is still living in 1500. Actually Iran is far better than its neighboring countries, one of the reasons they are poor is bc they had sanctioned on them by America, yea it is a poor country comapare to America but they are not behind. Compare a high school graduate from Iran to one in America, you will see the difference.

[emmasemsara]

I%u2019m an Iranian American living in the Washington area. Like other Iranian Americans I was curious to hear what Mr. Ahmadinejad had to say to Mike Wallace last Sunday on %u201C60 Minutes.%u201D To my surprise, and confirmed by many fair-minded friends, Mr. Ahmadinejad was a considerable success, and, I%u2019m sure, he was applauded by many viewers. He appeared candid, confident, and on the right side of most of the issues raised by Mr. Wallace. By contrast I found Mr. Wallace%u2019s line of questioning%u2014as well as his aggressive and disrespectful demeanor%u2014rather disappointing. In response to Mr. Ahmadinejad%u2019s comment about Mr. Bush%u2019s lack of love for other nations, Mr. Wallace could have challenged Mr. Ahmadinejad if he loved his own country? If so, how could an oil rich country tolerate so much poverty and lack of basic necessities in rural areas? Why is the rate of unemployment, the consumption of drugs, and prostitution so high in the cities? Why are Iranian journalists and civil rights activists routinely persecuted, imprisoned, and occasionally executed? Would it not be more appropriate for Mr. Ahmadinejad and his superiors to tend to their domestic problems first, instead of lecturing other rulers or arming Hizbollah?
Although I am supplying my name, I should like to protect my anonymity and sign off simply as an Iranian American.

Sincerely

[donfugate1]

Mike Wallace,
He didn't push away any of your questions? Do you have amnesia? He didn't answer anything of substance. This guy is dangerous. I could care less what he does in his spare time. He used you like a puppet.
It's time for you to hang it up as a used to be great journalist.

[wingnutjune]

Dear America:

Thank you for giving my family and I a chance to live freely, make something of ourselves, get the best education and live out our dreams back in 1979! If it wasn't for you... I would be forced to cover myself up to my eye balls, treated like a 3rd class citizen because I'm a woman, most likely beaten, jailed, thrown acid on my face, or even burried up to my neck to be stoned like that poor woman 10 years ago who refused to bow to Islamic law of the land! Again, I say THANK YOU beautiful and free nation! May your loving and open arms never refuse the ones fleeing opperession and dictatorship. Truly you are a nation blessed!
Your adopted daughter!

[ourtomorrows]

In addition, if you listen closely to what the Iranian president is saying, little of it is of any real substance. If you look at it realistically, I find it hard to agree that the President of Iran is any position to lecture the President of the United States on employment and healthcare.
In addition, regardless of your views on Israel, the Iranian President doubts that the Holocaust even took place saying that "further investigation" was needed.
He believes Britain and the US control the UN Security Council on which France, China and Russia all sit as permanent members with veto power. In the last five years France and Russia have scuttled US requests to the UNSC numerous times.
We in America can criticize our President and government, protest against them, attend rallies that support Hezbollah and equate Israel with Nazi Germany (ANSWER rally this weekend. Iranians can not do that. Those of you here who speak so glowingly of the Iranian President, what does that mean to you? Lastly, for those who say the interview was badly done or should never have aired, you can't oppose or support something unless you see it up close, the Iranian Pres was presented up close and personal and to me, he is more dangerous than the Bush folk ever painted him to be. It worries me that people seem to be blind to that.