Iran: Stop Calling Us 'Axis Of Evil'

Former Iranian President Urges Bush To Cease Strategic Namecalling

(AP)  Former Iran President Hashemi Rafsanjani on Friday urged the United States to exclude the Islamic country from its so-called "axis of evil" and warned Washington not to treat Iran the same way it has Iraq and Afghanistan.

President Bush "made a strategic mistake. He should exclude Iran from the circle (axis of evil) that he has made," Rafsanjani told the crowd in Tehran during Friday's prayer ceremony.

In 2002, President Bush branded Iran, North Korea and Iraq as the "axis of evil," claiming the three countries sponsored terrorism and sought weapons of mass destruction.

Rafsanjani also warned the U.S. not to consider military intervention in Iran, saying Washington's "iron fist policy" has failed.

"It will be dangerous if the U.S. thinks that it can behave toward Iran in the same way that it has treated Afghanistan and Iraq," he said.

"Any nation should respect rights of other nations. Today, negotiations, prudence and wisdom are the solution for the problems in the entire world," Rafsanjani added.

In Washington, the State Department sidestepped Rafsanjani's demand that Iran not be designated as one of the "axis of evil" countries, saying the Bush administration has not changed its policy regarding Tehran.

"The administration has been fairly clear about what it thinks is going on in Iran, about what Iran needs to do to draw itself more into the international community," said State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos.

Iran has said recently that it would be willing to talk to the United States about Iraq and other regional issues if the U.S. requested it. But the White House has said it would only talk to Iran if it first agrees to suspend its uranium enrichment activities, something Tehran has repeatedly refused.

The U.S. and its European allies are currently negotiating with Russia and China over a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that would penalize Iran for its refusal to respect an Aug. 31 deadline for halting enrichment.

Russia and China have extensive trade with Iran and are rejecting the harsh sanctions. But the United States and Europe are pressing for tough international sanctions on Iran, which they believe is secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and has shrugged off threats of sanctions, insisting that the West eventually will have to agree to negotiate with it.

"In the nuclear case, a difficult encounter is ahead of us," said Rafsanjani. "It will be difficult for the U.S., too. The United States should not pin hope on its veto right in the U.N. Security Council. It is not an angel for them; it is only a temporary solution."

The former president downplayed the affect of the U.S. midterm elections on Iran. During the elections earlier this month, Democrats defeated Mr. Bush's Republican Party and gained control of the U.S. Congress.

"Democrats are a little bit softer, but they are not angels. Do not interpret the win of either parties as very significant," he said.

During his speech Friday, Rafsanjani did not mention an Argentinian judge's request for his arrest and the detention of eight other officials for the 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires. The blast killed 85 people and wounded more than 200. Iran's charge d'affaires in Buenos Aires has said the judicial case was "fraught with irregularities" and politically motivated.

[grazinggoat]

if G.Walking-LiarBush stopped calling Iran Axis-of-Evil, I'll still be calling him liar. That won't change my (and many others') mind about him... He lied about all of that and caused the death of thousands innocent Iraqis and thousands of our soldiers.

[bellal-2009]

Stop chanting 'Death to America'

[sim828524s]

We don't call third world toilets any name.

How does he figure that we have the time to stop and name call a third world tiolet anything?

[exusmcsgt]

Bush has no military options for Iran ( as we are stitched up in Iraq), has no diplomat heading up State (since he lost Powell), so all he can do is namecall like some kindergartner on a playground.

What else do you expect?

[tomar0317]

I agree with "bellal". Stop trashing America and calling on everyone to kill us! Iran's politicians
are as mouthy as our own!

[pakaal]

The CIA topples Iran's democratically elected leader Mossadeq back in '53, sending Iran into a religious tailspin ending with thousands of political refugees escaping the fundamental religious fervor, then we sell Saddam Hussein chemical weapons that he uses against Iran in a US-supported war against them to the tune of tens of thousands of civilians and military dead, and 1 million more dead from conventional weapons, and people actually wonder why they're still pissed off at the US?

[olebd]

Sorry Iran....Looks like we chose Pakistan as our NEW nuclear b-i-t-c-h. Guess we can't demand YOU not have them anymore(?) Ah but , then again, we probably will.

Forget global warming, natural disasters, asteroids....These nuts (and perhaps ours) will cause the destruction of earth someday.

[olebd]

OOPS! I meant INDIA. Got my articles mixed up in my head.

[finewoven]

This is so true. Is there anything harder to accept than having Evangelicals refer to another as evil, as if they%u2019re the authority on what defines the word. And especially when the word is aimed at describing a political environment. Granted, I would consider some of the viewpoints of people from these countries as %u201Cignorant,%u201D but using the word evil should be reserved for real and provable circumstances. Otherwise it is a red herring meant to confuse and cause resentment, and becomes a suggestion toward the intended insult. A case in point, Nazi Germany prior at the beginning World War II sent V-bombs over London, that when they ran out of gas, they dropped and caused death and destruction. That was evil. Palestinians militants who sent up rockets that are aimed at civilian populations. That was evil. These are demonstratable, and Iran has not been accused of these things.

[one_american]

Maybe if Iran would stop calling for the destruction of Israel, and stop sponsoring terrorism and sending their terrorists throughout the Middle East, we wouldn't have to call them part of the "Axis of Evil".

Whine on, Iran!

[exusmcsgt]

finewoven-

It's called "demonization" and has been used for centuries - especially by the "self-righteous"...

[gmacdaddydog]

exusmcsgt:

Many of us civilians appreciate your past protection of our freedoms. But to you finewoven & pakaal, the U.S. and Christians are not the villians.

Wake up and live in reality - not some conspiracy world: "the Zionist Jews and their US supporters or "the Industrial Military Complex are going to control the world" fantasy land.

The civilized countries of the world have found by experience that Nuclear build-up is the wrong road. For years the U.S. and Europe/Russia have been actively trying to reduce the world's nuclear stock piles.

The intolerant are the extremists and it seems clear that the most extreme in our world are the percentage of fascists that have hijacked Islam.

You, Mr. Iran "Ooola Boola", when I was in Nam,
they told us stop calling the Vietnamese "*****",
so, we started calling them "zipperheads".
So, you don't like the phrase "Axis Of Evil",
well, well, Mr. Iran Ooola Boola, LIVE WITH IT!

AXiS oF EViL? Hey this is the name of a band out of Franklin, Wisconsin!! This band is an outlet for collective rage, desire, and angst. A way of expelling the anger that builds up inside while trying to deal with day-to-day life.

[themooniac]

As a Democrat I have one thing to say: F**k Rafsanjani.

[grizzlyzone]

Just wait a gosh *** moment. Aren't these the same folks that have daily US flag burnings, burn our president in effigy, held our embassy staff hostage and generally refers to us as "the Great Satan"?

'Axis of Evil' is rather mild. Considering.

[im3000]

Why can isreal have nukes but not their neighbors? Who's really provoking the reaction here?

[themooniac]

Easy, because Israel has'nt used any nukes (or they could have nuked these people already) and has proved itself responsible in that regard. When the Islamists get the bomb they'll start killing each other, Shiite vs Sunni for one, and anyone else that does'nt agree with their religion. Do you really think these are responsible societies or extremist societies????? They'll "martyr" themselves and everyone else to death with nukes - all in the name of Allah.

[exusmcsgt]

gmacdaddydog-

To realize that everything America does is not just does not make one naive nor unpatriotic. Obviously nukes are just fine for Christians and Jews, just not for Muslims.

In regards to religious fanatacism, I find no shortage of it among the Christians and Jews.

I do not justify terrorism such as 9/11. Neither do I refuse to see the terrorism in leveling Hiroshima and Nagasaki with nuclear weapons.

[gaye5]

This is so funny, in the Quran the infidel, Jews and Christians are called terrible names, and Muslims today do the same, but as usual Muslims don't like anyone calling them names. These poor dear people will say that we are persecuting them or being aggressive thus it gives them the right to go to war against us to stop what they call aggression..
It appears to me that Muslims are like bad children. Bullies like hurting other children, making their lives a misery, but if that child dares to retaliate, look out...
Muslims who are the cause of non-stop world wide violence, say that we should not call them evil. They can sit down amongst a group of school children, go into churches, temples, synagogues, shopping centers etc and blow themselves up putting rat poison on the shrapnel in their bombs so those who only get a scratch will still bleed to death. They can rape torture and slaughter tens of thousands of people every year just because they don't believe in the same god, , and they say we should not call them evil... hmmmm we had better do what our leaders and the Pope did, and appease them!!!! ok they are not evil .... History has proven that you can not appease an aggressor, and it appears that we dont learn from history.

[gaye5]

exusmcsgt, as terrible as leveling Hiroshima and Nagasaki was, if the powers to be then hadn't done that, the war would have gone on for more years, and even Australia was intended to be taken by Japan, they even had a go at bombing Darwin. In the process many thousands of men, women and children on both sides would have been killed, probably more than was killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki... and we all would not now be worrying about Islam.. there wouldnt be a we....!!!!...
In regards to what you said about religious fanatacism, I find no shortage of it among the Christians and Jews.
I totally agree with you, and we also have fanatics in football, league, boat clubs, and anywhere else where there are humans, but you dont find these fanatic Christians and Jews slaughtering tens of thousands of non Jews, and Christians, and please dont bring up the Crusaders, you need to read the real reason that the crusaders started fighting, and of course it couldnt have been to stop the march of Islam would it...

[exusmcsgt]

gaye5-

Your justification of our using nukes on Japan is a little short-sighted, if I may say so. True, nuking Japan ended the war sooner, but at the cost of slaughtering hundreds of thousands of civilian non-combatants. Not to mention causing generations of birth defects. I have been to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I don't know if you have, but I suspect not.

Slaughtering civilians is no justification for the facilitation of military objectives.

In regards to Jews and Christians not slaughtering Muslims, let me direct you to Palestine and Lebannon. sure, the Israelis do the killing by the hundreds, but we support them financially and are their 800 pound gorilla at the U.N.

[exusmcsgt]

gaye5-

P.S. Ihave studied the Crusades (all 14 of them) and find enough of murder and slaughter and persecution on both sides to preclude either from claiming moral superiority.

[grumpas]

I am with whoever said! Why can Israel have nukes but her Muslim neighbor's can't? It seems extremely hypocritical to me! We give ourselves the right to pick and choose who we want to have nuclear weapons and who can't! When there is nothing any more terrifying on earth than George W Bush with nuclear weapons!!!! I personally think we have gotten far to imperialistic for our own good! We seem to think we know what is best for countries like Iraq (which is why the country in now a disaster area)! When in all reality what is good for us is not necessarily good for someone else! I think it's time for our leaders to take care of business at home, it has been sorely neglected these past 6 years!

[exusmcsgt]

grumpas-

I could not agree more. Since we invented a pretext to attack Mexico and take half their country because they refused to sell it to us, such has been the practice. America presumes to know what's best for all inhabitants of the planet - what's good for America is good for everyone. Not so.

[themooniac]

Geez, spare me the anti-americanism. If America was the monster you make it out to be we could have nuked everyone and taken over the world in 1946 when no one else had the bomb. Your comments are just revisionist B.S. I think Japan and Germany turned out pretty well after their occupation (who provoked those wars?) and South Korea has'nt fared to bad either. In some cases a nation of diverse immigrants like America might indeed have the best ideas about what goes on in the world. What do modern Americans have to do with the Mexican war anyway? My grandparents arrived legally in the US in the twenties. My guess is half the country's current heritage now dates from the immigration of the twenties or later. Why don't we just persecute Italians for the actions of the Romans?? You know all these countries in the world have been carved out by blood at some point or another. Do you think they all came about by some stone age agreement over tea and crumpets?? If you believe that go ask your neighbor for half his property and see what he says.

[exusmcsgt]

themooniac-

I find fault where it lies without blinding myself to our hegemony. Yes, the Germans started WWII. That does not absolve us of our own misdeeds.

America is indeed, a great country. And I am proud to be an American and to have served this fine country. But we have no right to practice imperialism - moral, economic, or ideological.

We didn't want it from the British and the rest of the world doesn't want it from us. Everyone has a place in this world and they are not here to do America's bidding anymore than we are here to do theirs.

[exusmcsgt]

themooniac-

Question: Do you happen to know how and why Panama was "created"?

[exusmcsgt]

themooniac-

As well, I resent your accusation of "anti-Americanism. I don't know if you've ever put your butt on the line for this country, but I have. And I'm not about to take such *** from you after having done so.

[im3000]

Israel killed many hundreds of Lebanese civilians because only 2 of their soldiers were kidnapped, not even killed. They littered their neighbor with unexploded cluster bomblets that will be maiming kids for years. It it this unholy overreaction that is threatening their existence, not anyone else.

[gmacdaddydog]

So......... the US are Imperialists wanting to control the world and the Jews are Zionists and murdering and torturing the Palestinians and Lebanese?

I can't get over how so many of the world's people have such a deep hatred of the Jews. I am not an expert, but have read enough to understand that our current Middle East condition and the creation of the Israel state is not some major mystery.

A group of Jews bought land around the late 1700's and early 1800's in the Middle East and tried to have a place near their holy land where they wouldn't be tormented. Their population grew and the neighboring people of different views got fearful and these conflicts led to where we are at today with majors wars of '48 & '67 and ongoing skirmishes and statemates.

Fear and loathing of those that are different as well as man's nature to be greedy and power-hungry are our true enemies.

Warfare, whether conventional or by the use of terrorism are the tools of those to either obtain or protect against such. If you want to see the future of warfare and be a little scared, check out: http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,1930960,00.html

The US is a capitalistic economy that needs to grow its global sales. Let's try to do that while being responsible as the leading financier of the worlds growth. The standard of living for the entire world are the beneficiaries.

But, we are not trying to control the world. Get real, please!!

[themooniac]

Exusmcsgt: US Army 2ndID, 13P/15J, secondary MOS in Chemical and a secret clearance to boot. Just for your info. And yes I know why AMERICANS built the canal although I'm not sure what that has to do with Iraq. And just for further info there's a right wing and a left wing to the military - remember??? Just because you were in the military that does'nt carry any more weight with me( maybe with the civilians it does)- I knew plenty of misguided politicly minded individuals in the Army.

[gaye5]

im3000, you obviously don't know the history of Israel and what Israel has had to go through, of course not, as the media is mostly quite on the subject of what Israel has had to endure, but shows graphic pictures when Israel kills one Muslim... People have to start thinking for themselves instead of being brain washed by the media. I am not a Jew but I do know that the Jewish people of ONLY 9 MILLION are surrounded by a sea of BILLIONS, (not millions but billions) of angry muslims who have been trying to destroy Israel for 50 years. Israel has had the capacity to destroy all of the Muslim people for 20 or more years now and up till at this stage they have done only what was necessary to survive against the horrors that have been done, they have done their best to get the perpetrators trying to not hurt the civilians, now what other country in the world would in times of war be that restraint.

[gaye5]

Because Israel is a democracy there is 1 million Muslims happily living and working in Israel, but it means that other Muslims can enter Israel and do damage. For 50 years Israel has endured Muslims sitting down amongst their children in crhches, kindergartens, schools etc and blowing themselves up, or Muslims have blown themselves up in Jewish buses, shopping centres, synagogues, killing many thousands of babies, children, women and men, and even though Israel can wipe these people out at the drop of a hat, up until now they have done nothing, they have tried to only get the ones who have organised the horror and of course there has been the other tragedies in the process.. on one occasion instead of blowing up an area where they knew the terrorists were working from, which was deliberately done from amongst the population knowing that Israel would not bomb the area because of civilians, the Jewish army went in at the risk of loosing some of their men to make sure that civilians were not hurt, but the media didn't print that either eh.
People have to start thinking for themselves, Israel would have had to be mad to stir up trouble when surrounded by a sea of angry muslims... we are being socially engineered by the media and our leaders, in other words we are being controlled to think a certain way...

=

[exusmcsgt]

themooniac-

For your edification, Panama did not exist until we created it. I'm talking about the country, not the canal. We wanted to build a canal, but Colombia (who owned what is now Panama) didn't want any part of it.

So we fomented a revolution on the isthmus cleaving it from Colombia, parked a battleship off the coast and "recognized" the new Panamanian government.

The reason I mention it is that we have a history of taking from others to suit our own designs. It's called imperialism, and the fact that I criticize American imperialism does not make me "anti-American".

You, on the other hand, appear to believe that whatever international law we break is ok because we have the biggest stick, or "might makes right".

[exusmcsgt]

gaye5-

You think that the Palestinians might be a little upset because Britian took Palestine away from them and gave it to the Jews in 1948? Add that to the fact that the Isrealis basically keep the Palestinians as prisoners on their own land and destitute and you might understand the underpinning of the situation.

[bigal321321]

in response to exusmcsgt. You make it sound like that is strictly arab land throughout history. The reality is this land had been a mish-mash of ethnic origins for centuries. Jews have occupied that land for centuries, even before to aquired state in 1947.Do you think the Palestinians have a grudge and revenge factor? Factor in the millions of Jews who died in concentration camps. Never will Jews go sheepishly to their deaths again.

So you see this whole dilemma could be cured with a reduction of bigotry throughout the area. I believe if you would like to see a real change there then convince the imam's to preach love instead of hate.

[themooniac]

Sarge, the two dozen or so mosquito bitten, typhoid infested folks living in what is now the canal zone probably were probably hatin it, I agree, but look where their country is at now. Besides that the entire country, the U.S., was stolen from the Indians in the first place. Maybe in protest of that you should relocate to the country of your original heritage. But then again thats probably being a little harsh and unrealistic. I think your problem really is with corporations that engage in neocolonialism like United Fruit/Chiquita (if you want to bring up Latin American history) and that old military indutrial complex that Ike warned about rather than some tacit approval of this behavior by regular middle class Americans. Actually when they close the books on Iraq I would really like to know where all the money went and what segments of American society profited... I think your problem is with unbridled and savage CORPORATE capitalism at any cost and I can agree with that point. I just think you go a little to far in being judgemental about American society on the whole. You could do a lot worse you know - keep it in perspective.

[exusmcsgt]

bigal321321-

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to explain what the Holocaust has to do with the Israeli persecution of the Palestinians?

[exusmcsgt]

themooniac-

You are correct in your observation that I do not suffer America being driven by corporate interests. That, however, is not the explanation behind our hegemony throughout history.

You observe that Panama is better off for our hegemony. I will offer that Colombia who had it's territory stolen is certainly not.

Whether you accept it or not, from the Mexican-American war to the Spanish-American war to Panama and several other instances we have invented pretexts and wars to impose our will on others. It is unabashed imperialsim. I will say again that we didn't want it from the British any more than the rest of the world wants it from us.

[exusmcsgt]

bigal321321-

I notice that you do not propose that the Palestinians be treated equitably by Israel as a solution........

[exusmcsgt]

themooniac-

The reason why this hegemonic history is important is that we are in Iraq for purely hegemonic reasons, true to our history.

Bush and the Neocons wanted a platform from which to project American power in the middle east. After tossing Hussein, the plan was to build four large permanent American bases. One in the north of Iraq to be on Russia's doorstep, one on the border with Syria, one on the border with Saudi Arabia, and the last on the border with Iran.

The bases were begun, however Congress pulled the plug on funding about 2 months ago when even they realised that we would never pacify Iraq to the point that we could ever post a permanent claim to the bases, if finished.

[exusmcsgt]

themooniac-

In addition, we make a practice of demonizing any and all who dare to oppose our hegemony. We slam China for it's hegemonic policy against Taiwan but give ourselves the right to practice hegemony if it suits us.

Iran and North Korea and allies that don't jump through our hoop are categorized as evil or otherwise because they don't recognize our self-imposed right of dictatorship of world events.

They have a right to formulate their own policies as sovereign states - as do we.

[sunshine_2]

"Any nation should respect rights of other nations. Today, negotiations, prudence and wisdom are the solution for the problems in the entire world," Rafsanjani added.

Weather we can trust Iran or not ...I do strongly Believe that We need to Give Diplomacy adnPeace a chance.
The Saber Ratteling and Cutting off of Diplomatic ties has never helped America settle and "Governemnt or Policy Issues". Name calling and labeling certainly does not help.
Did you know that Iran actually Hepled America in the Afganistan removal of the Taliban? then a few weeks later Mr. Bush named who he thought wast he "Axis of Evil".
You can not have civil Diplomatic Talks until you meet each other as Equals, to discuss your differences as Diplomats for your Nation. Bush Shames America wiht his lack of diplomatic understading. Even in his "name calling and labeling" of American's as only either: Patriotic or Cowards who cut and run.

*Using the term "Axis" from the World War II, Axis vs. Allied Powers, as a means of letting America "visualise" the Nazi's of old Germany.

[sunshine_2]

On the Isreal Palistine Iran Issue:

Palestine's Militants and Iran have both Sworn to Remove Isreal Form the face of the earth. Most of Isreal's "Persecutions against Palestine" are in direct retalliation to another attack on Isreal. Though sometimes in an extreme and "hard handed nature", that I dont always agree with.
Can any of you imagine living in Isreal where your bombed almost every day, and you go to the supermarket or prayer knowing it could be your last time? Can you imagine a place where every man and woman "must" serve 2 years in the service, just to give your country a chance to survive?
On almost ever occasion that Isreal has conceded and negotiated territories and political acceptance of Palestine. Some Militant Organization in Palestine starts the war over again, as we saw this past year. Right after Isreal had almost completed the withdrawal for the occupied territories.
Even today, after the UN Resolution that brought a "reduction of fighting", Isreal is still being bombed from accross the border by factions of the militant groups seeking "Death of Isreal as a Nation and it's Jewish people." After each attack Isreal stricks back, accross the border, trying to "get the people" attacking them from "within civilian communities". The Palestinians Militants hope the News coverage of their suffering and dieing civilians will cause the World to lash out at Israel.

[sunshine_2]

The terrorist tactics are intended to cause public reaction, weaken political ties, toble governments or leaders and get impassioned people on their side. If the "first" attack does not do it, then the retaliation "showing many dead or wounded unarmed civilians" is a big plus for them.
It is very difficult to strategically hit a Terrorist targets hiding in schools, hospitals, and religious buildings and residential communities. So that is where the terrorist hide, in their on going attempt to "Kill Israel" as a Nation and as a people.